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After two years of being dead to the world, Portgas D. Ace had finally decided he’s strong enough to meet his brother again. Or rather, brothers. Seriously, seeing Sabo’s (now scarred) face in the news had been enough of a shock to have him bursting into flames. He'd been angry at first, vowing to punch Sabo into the afterlife himself, but after the initial betrayal ( Why now? Why show up now that he thinks I'm gone?) Ace just found himself happy that Luffy still had an older brother to watch over him. Closer than he could, at least.
Apparently, he and Luffy had made contact in Dressrosa a while back, and were together again now that Kaidou has fallen. Marco and Izou had told him they were just fine, but Ace knew he wouldn’t settle down until the two boys were in his sight.
Marco and the other Whitebeards (especially the former spades) decided it was safer for him to be dead. By the time that Ace was well enough to protest, it had already been 2 months. And, they were right. Revealing himself risked all of Roger's enemies targeting the people he loves. Risked an already heavily injured emotionally unstable Luffy, ( Please, just one letter. Let me give him something. Ace had never begged so much in his life.) being targeted by Teach all over again. Whitebeard, Pops, and all of his comrades that had fallen at Marineford, died so that he could live, and in (what he thought were) his last moments, Ace had finally felt that just maybe- he was allowed to want to. If revealing himself meant Luffy would have to lose him twice over, then Ace could stubbornly pour himself into training.
But after two years, Ace is ready to face the world head on, his heritage head on. His brothers have waited for him long enough, after all.
Deuce cleared his throat.
“Do you plan to make your public appearance at the same time you meet your brothers? Commander Marco and Commander Thatch are trying to plan around the uproar.” There's a notebook in his hands as he speaks, and Ace smiles. Sabo and Deuce would really get along.
“I’d like to have some time with them, Luffy’s probably going to be inconsolable.” Ace’s heart clenched, he knew, of course, the pain his brother must have gone through. Ripping open that wound… felt rather cruel. But in the two years that he had been showered in love by people who lost their father to save him, ( He would have done the same for every one of us, yoi.) (He was your father too.) Ace had learned to be a bit selfish.
“Captain.” Deuce seemed to notice the tension in his shoulders. “I’m sure your brothers will just be thrilled you’re alive. Isn’t that how you felt hearing Sabo lived?”
Despite the heavy weight in his heart, Ace chuckled.
“Actually, I was pretty pissed.” And Deuce, the traitor, just rolled his eyes like he expected the answer.
“But now, how do you feel now?”
“I want to see him.” Probably more than he wants to see Luffy. If only because even after learning to be selfish, Ace really didn’t deserve Luffy. (But no one deserves Luffy, Luffy just decides he’s yours, and you're his. Nothing else matters, only that he loves you, and, whether you like it or not, you’ll end up loving him too.)
“Then you’ll be fine, captain.” His former first mate, and best friend, smiles softly. “From what you’ve told me, they’re more forgiving than you.”
As comforting as the words are, Sabo is, decidedly, less forgiving than Ace. Where his rage is fire, wild and hot, Sabo’s rage is stone cold. His blond brother is the type to smile when he’s angry, voice sweet as he chokes a man to death for looking at Luffy strange. Ace might be overprotective, but Sabo is possessive . It was harder to see when it was just the two of them, but when Luffy came into their lives, Ace was faced with a side of Sabo that simultaneously made his blood run cold and his chest warm. A revolutionary he may now be, the glint of those blue eyes in the papers told Ace the greed of a pirate still lived on within Sabo’s heart.
Where Ace would let Luffy fall to learn the ground hurts, bandaging him up after. Sabo would scoop him up long before the impact, carrying him the rest of the way. Speaking of that… he hopes his blond brother hasn’t spoiled Luffy too much while he’s been away. Though, maybe this once, Ace could admit Luffy deserved to be spoiled.
“We’re not that far off now, Ace.” Thatch, sweet, kind Thatch, emerges from below deck. He had woken up from his coma not that far into Ace’s 2 year vacation from ‘life’. Ace’s eyes softened almost immediately, they thought they’d lost him.
“Thanks,” Because as much as the chef hates it, none of them can stop being overly gentle with him. “You gonna make your debut?”
“I’ve been thinking about it, but I want you to spend some quality time with your brothers first. As soon as our names are out there again, us Whitebeard remnants are gonna have our hands full.”
“Not if we ally with Straw Hat.” The three of them turn as Haruta enters the conversation. “What? He’ll undoubtedly be announced as a Yonko, probably the captain of the Heart pirates too since Big Mom is out of the game.”
“Actually I wouldn’t bet on that just yet, Marco and most of the supernovae are present at Wano right now too, they might have trouble choosing who to replace Big Mom.”
Ace just sighs, over 2 years training to be stronger and his little brother was going to be crowned Yonko before he can even tell him he’s alive. How much of his life has he missed? How many adventures, hardships, had Luffy had to go through thinking he’d lost both his brothers? Once again, he finds himself thankful Sabo could be there for Luffy sooner than he could.
“Ace.” Thatch is at his side. “It’s gonna be okay.”
Easy for them to say, they didn’t know Luffy like he did. As much as the kid would laugh and say everything was okay, Luffy didn’t ever move on from something. He makes it a part of himself, not quite regretting, but never forgetting. Ace saw it first hand with Shanks, Ace saw it first hand with Sabo .
Hadn’t he sworn? Never to let that pain be because of him? Ace lets out a bitter laugh, words falling out of his mouth before he could stop them.
“When we were kids, I promised him I wouldn’t die.” As if a bomb had went off, all eyes turn to Ace. It’s almost comical, how put off they seemed by him opening up. (Especially now, that they’d finally be meeting his ‘adorable kid brother’). “We had just lost Sabo- or thought we lost him- and Luffy wasn’t eating. Wasn’t sleeping. He wouldn’t do much aside from cry. It pissed me off, Sabo was always the one to calm him down. But when I promised I wouldn’t die, that I wouldn’t leave him , Luffy stopped crying.”
He ignores the tears that threaten to fall as the weight of that particular promise sparks understanding on his crew-mates’ faces. Yeah he wants to say, it’s the only reason I’m still here . Instead, he rubs tiredly at his face, continuing.
“I thought that’d be it, that he’d move on and bounce back because he always does , but he didn’t. All the while, I just became angrier and angrier. I snapped at him a lot before, but after Sabo...” He takes a deep, shuddering breath. “I asked him if he wished I’d died instead.”
“Ace…”
“I’ll never forget the look on his face. But even after I had already started to regret it, I didn’t back down. So Luffy and I drifted apart, even split the treehouse in half, claiming our own sides. Really childish stuff. But then, Luffy got hurt. Really hurt . He still has some of the scars, even if they’re faint. And it was all my fault , I was right there .
He was really close to dying that day, and the last memory he would have had of me wasn’t exactly positive. I… swore to be the best of both of us after that. That I would just have to give him twice the love, double the teasing. I- even if I didn’t believe I deserved it, I swore to live. So I would never leave him. But now, he thinks I’m dead, and I can’t really say I kept my promise.”
“I’m sorry, Captain.” He tried to wave Deuce off, but his old first mate continued. “You’ll make it up to him, you have time.”
“Man, we’re going to be in a lot of shit with your brothers when they find out we didn’t let you see them, aren’t we?” It’s probably meant to be teasing, but Ace can see the apology on the cook’s face. “I’m still a bit excited to see if they’re anything like you though.”
“Count me out, one is enough.” Deuce monotones, sighing when Thatch pats him on the back.
“Well, you won’t be waiting much longer.” Haruta gestures to the horizon, the land of Wano stares back at them. “Ace, get ready.”
-
The party can be heard all the way from the harbor. Ace thinks it’s rather fitting, that the place he failed was liberated by his kid brother. Luffy could break anyone's shackles, just by being him. As focused as he was on his brothers, the prospect of seeing Yamato and Tama again lived quietly in the back of his mind. He sure owed them an explanation.
His crew doesn’t call out to him as he migrates away from the docs, they know his mission, and this nation had just been freed of all their enemies. Still, he keeps the hood of his cloak up, reaching the capital in what must be record time. He’d rather not do this during the banquet, but his patience hadn’t really been existent in the first place.
Marco spots him first, smiling worriedly as he points him in the right direction. He listens, but not before spying Izou, and what can only be the sister he’d mention on occasion, cuddled in the corner. Despite the endless nerves in his stomach, he can’t help but feel happy for them. He’d give anything to be cuddled up to his brothers like that right about now.
He doubts that he would have had any trouble following the commotion, but the hint Marco gave him was appreciated either way.
Because it doesn’t take long to find them.
“Sabo- Sabo, this is Torao you missed seeing him in Dressrosa!”
“Nice to meet you, Trafalgar. I hope you haven’t been harboring any thoughts of betraying my baby brother.” Ace would have laughed out loud at the sickly sweet tone if he wasn’t reeling from seeing the proof right before his eyes. That Sabo had lived, and neither Luffy nor Ace knew. All it seemed to do now, is make the fear come back with a vengeance.
Why didn’t you say anything? Where have you been?
Were you happier without me?
A hand on his back nudges him forward, (Damn you Marco) and suddenly Ace’s hood falls off. Sabo is the first to notice him, gaping, followed closely by Zoro and Sanji as they push themselves in front of their captain (and subsequently Sabo). Soon enough, most eyes are on him, even the citizens that probably have no idea who he is had noticed the tension and stopped their celebration.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he spots Yamato’s eyes widening.
Luffy is still chatting away at Sabo and Law, placating a tension he doesn’t know has long been replaced with a different one.
“Sabo~ don’t be mean to Torao! He’s been my friend since Punk Hazard!” A small, adorable, familiar , giggle reaches his ears. His baby brother is covered head to toe in bandages, but that never did seem to damper his spirits. “See, he didn’t even deny it that time!”
“Luffy.” Nico Robin’s voice cuts through the otherwise silent crowd. “Look.”
If looks could kill, Ace would be dead ten times over at the glares each and every one of the straw hat’s is giving him. (Besides Luffy, but including Law). Luffy’s gasp seems to pull Sabo out of his shock, the blond snarling as he joins Zoro and Sanji in front of the young captain.
“How dare you wear his face?!”
“A-Ace-”
Ace can already hear the warble in his younger brother’s voice.
“Sorry,” He ignores the flinch he sees run through Luffy at his voice the best he can. “But, it’s really me.”
He sheds the cloak, hoping the circular scar would speak for itself. If it doesn’t, Izou and Marco were hopefully trusted enough to gain him the benefit of the doubt.
“Akainu got me good, but Shanks’ got one hell of a doctor aboard his ship.” This seems to anger Luffy’s crew even more, which, yeah. Ace would be pretty pissed if this scenario were reversed and he was standing next to Luffy instead of Sabo. Speaking of, he meets his blond brother's eyes. “I’m sorry I’m late, but I’m really glad you’re alive, Sabo.”
Luffy pushed his way through the 3 man shield, eyes shining with unshed tears.
“Ace!”
The fire user's heart shattered at the broken voice, forcing himself not to mind when Sabo holds his little brother back from tackling him.
“L-Luffy stop that can’t be- He’s not-” Sabo tries again, blinking back his own emotions. But Marco is already next to him, causing the Straw hats that know him to falter for a moment.
“As much as I understand the hesitance, yoi. I can assure you. Portgas D. Ace lives.” Marco’s words cause Sabo to fumble, his grip loosening on their brother’s rubbery arms.
“ACE!” His sobbing brother collides with his chest, all of the Straw Hats, (Plus Law and Sabo) take a step forward. Blades are drawn, slingshots loaded, but Ace simply holds his brother there. His eyes soften a bit when shaking hands connect with his scar. Out of all of them, Luffy would know it the most intimately. “I- thought- but you- Ace! You died!”
“Sorry I couldn’t come sooner.”
“A-Ace…” When he looked up from his baby brother, Sabo had taken another step forward. “Is that really-”
Any pain or resentment he felt towards his blond brother for never showing himself vanished the instant he met those disbelieving blue eyes. Sabo was here, and he was looking at Ace like he’d disappear any moment. That had to change. Ignoring the deadly looks of the other pirates present, Ace tucks Luffy into his chest (picking him up slightly), before moving forward and capturing Sabo in a hug. (Luffy smushed in the middle, as he should be.)
“Sabo you ass, how do you think I felt when I saw your name in the news?” Ace’s voice cracked, his own tears welling in his eyes. That seems to finally break the blond, his arms coming around both Ace and Luffy.
“H-how I- Ace I- I thought I’d never get to see you.” There is no shirt for Sabo’s hands to clutch onto, so Ace feels the sting of gloved fingers digging into his back. It’s a good kind of pain.
“ Ace I- I’m sorry I wasn't strong enough. Y-you were right in front of me and I-” Both Ace and Sabo shush Luffy at the same time, and that one simple, unified act, had most of the spectators relaxing.
“I’m okay now, see?” Ace reluctantly removed one arm from around them, moving it down to cover the still shaking hands on his scar. “I healed up just fine thanks to Shanks, he wouldn’t let me die, you know that.”
“S-Shanks-” Somehow, it only causes the boy to shake harder, repeatedly sobbing broken versions of both his name and Shanks’ into his chest.
Sabo brings a hand up to pat the boy’s head.
“How did- How did- how did he save you. Iva-chan said-”
“The doctor aboard Red Hair’s ship was able to increase the effectiveness of my flames on him, yoi. The details don’t really matter right now, just enjoy this.” Marco answers for him, now playing crowd control with the spectators.
They retreat into one of the rooms the inn owners were lending out to the Straw Hats, never quite untangling from each other. Neither one of them calls Luffy a crybaby, because none of them stop crying until well into the night.
-
The next time he wakes, there is only Luffy still asleep on his chest. His heart stops for a second before he spots the blond staring at them from a bedside chair.
“Sabo, what the hell are you doing?” If it comes out slightly annoyed, it’s only because he’d been looking forward to continuing their cuddle pile well into the day.
“You’re real? Like really real? Because if you’re not, and you have to leave, I don’t think Luffy and I can handle it.” There is something about that, that Sabo admits he couldn’t handle it. And isn’t that just a testament to how broken they were? Because Ace knows, if he lost either of them now, nothing would be able to help him.
“Really real.” Ace answers, after a while. “I have time- to prove it to you. I’m still dead to the world, and I was planning on tagging along with Luffy for a while to make sure he’ll really be alright. I had hoped- I mean if you could-”
“I’ll stay. If- if you’re not real, there’s no way I’m leaving you alone with Lu.” Sabo’s hands shake slightly, and Ace feels the weight the last two years had put on him.
“Good, then you have time to tell me where you’ve been for 12 years.”
“Working for Lu’s dad, believe it or not.” The blond chuckles bitterly. “I- after the explosion, Dragon saved me.”
Sabo climbs back into the bed when Ace’s breath hitches at the memory. They settle Luffy in between them almost unconsciously, leaning into each other as the blond continues his story.
“Ace I… I couldn’t remember anything. About the gray terminal, Luffy, you. It was all blank, I barely had my name.”
“Amnesia.” Ace hates himself for being relieved. Hates even more when all he can do is squish the blond into his side tighter. “That’s why you never told us.”
“I’m sorry- I- I only remembered when I saw your-” Sabo pauses, hand combing through Luffy’s hair as he calms himself down. “After you ‘ died’ , the newspapers triggered my memories, but by that time Luffy had already dropped off the map. I had to wait two years just like his crew.”
“Sorry to say, I think I have you beat here Sabo.” His brothers always suffered so much because of him. Luffy, Impel Down, Marineford… “I let you both believe I was dead, that I died in his arms , for two years. My cursed blood would have gotten us both killed if I had come back right away- Hell, it could even now. But I could have done something- said something. Anything to make it easier for him.”
“Ace… there was no telling if it would have been safe to do so. Staying dead… was the best thing you could have done to keep him safe.” Ace wonders how much will power it took for Sabo to say that. By all accounts, Sabo has more right to be mad at Ace, than Ace has to be mad at him.
“From the world maybe.” He takes a deep breath. “What about from himself? What about leaving him alone, about breaking my promise? I swore - I swore I’d never leave him.”
“You’re here now aren’t you? Besides I- I wouldn’t even remember I had brothers if I hadn’t seen your death in the news. So there’s no point in worrying about the past now.” His brother’s eyes are icy, leaving little room for Ace to argue. “Luffy told me you learned that lesson, I guess old habits die hard.”
“I don’t want to hear that from you. Are you sure you even lost your memory? You’re the only idiot in the world I know whose fashion sense includes ‘ cravats’. ” Against all odds, the comment makes Sabo laugh. “Some big brothers we are, huh?”
“I think Luffy would say we’re the best.”
“He would be wrong.”
“But he wouldn’t stop believing it.”
“How about those scars?” Ace prompts instead of the back and forth, a small twinge of guilt pouring through him when that sad look is back on Sabo’s face. “Do they hurt?”
“Not anymore.” Blearily, Sabo looks between his brothers. “Definitely not right now.”
From the celestial then. Ace bites his lip, wanting so badly to reach out and trace the burns on his brother’s face. But did he even have the right to do something like that anymore? He traces Luffy's cheek instead, humming.
“What about- what about yours?” Sabo’s eyes trail down. Though the blanket blocks his view, Ace can tell they linger where he took Akainu’s blow.
“You’d be surprised what Marco’s flames are capable of under the right conditions. The scar tissues’ not that thick, I don’t have much to complain about.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” Biting his lip, Sabo meets Ace’s eyes. “I should have been there, for your captain, for you.”
“Pops made his choice, and I’m right here.” Pop's death was not his fault. His crew had spent 2 years convincing him of that. “Besides, I had enough trouble worrying about Luffy in the chaos.”
They glance down at him in unison, soft snores anchoring them both in place.
“The Straw Hats are gonna kill you for leaving him.” Sabo says eventually, eyes full of mirth.
“I’m sure most of them will forgive me.” He defends. The crew was pretty easy going. “Zoro will stare daggers at me for a while, but as long as I convince him I’m the real deal… well, he probably won’t murder me in my sleep.”
“Good luck with that. I’ve seen the looks Zoro throws around at people he doesn’t trust when his captain’s not looking.”
“That’s what makes him the first mate.”
At that, Luffy stirs. As if ready to rise from the abyss of sleep and deny what everyone already knows. ‘I don’t need silly positions like that!’ (it might be true, but Zoro had rightfully earned the title.)
“Sabo?” Comes out instead, and the blond in question smiles. The events from last night return in waves. First, in sadness, then in shock as his eyes drift over to Ace. “... you're still here.”
“I am.” He bites back a frown at those disbelieving eyes, ruffling his little brother’s hair fondly. Luffy’s arms are around him in an instant, body shaking. “Not going anywhere, Lu. Promise.”
Sabo chuckles, the sound coming out choppy. Ace sees him snuggle deeper into the embrace. “You better not be.”
“Ace!” Luffy looks up at him suddenly, knocking Sabo on the nose (It probably says something about them, that neither of them stop to scold him). “Sabo’s here!”
“I know. Saw him in the newspapers.” He sends Sabo a playful glare, even as he curls tighter around his brothers. “I'm glad.”
“I lost both of you.” Luffy giggles weakly, cheeks wet. “But you’re here.”
“Yeah.” Sabo whispers, chin resting on the younger boy’s shoulders. “We’re here.”
For the next few months, the Thousand Sunny gains two guests, and a baby brother is never not smothered in their love and attention. His smile, in return, shines twice as bright. (The straw hats think that the lives of these brothers must be protected at all costs. Marco assures them they aren’t the only ones.)