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Luffy: 04 Ace: 01
⸻
When Luffy was four, his grandfather brought his little brother into his life and his world expanded a bit as he was handed the small bundle. Curiously, the child peered into the swaddle of blankets, taking in the sight of a peacefully sleeping face dotted in freckles with wispy dark locks. “Who’s this, grandpa?”
“This is your new little brother, Portgas D. Ace.” His grandfather grinned widely, watching the way his eldest held the child to make sure he didn’t drop him. “Treat him well and raise him to be a strong marine like your grandfather, Luffy.”
Luffy nodded firmly, hand moving out to brush against a pudgy cheek as the baby's eyes opened and the older child was pleasantly surprised to see one shockingly silver eye and one deep carmine eye, before his finger was grabbed by a tiny hand that wrapped all around the limb. “Look grandpa! He’s holding my finger!”
“Bwahahaha! Atta boy, you’re going to be an amazing big brother already, Luffy!”
Luffy grinned, his entire world already enveloped by the little being in his arms. “Yeah, I’ll be the best big brother in the world to you, Ace! You’re my first treasure!”
⸻
Luffy: 07 Ace: 04
⸻
After spending three years with Ace, Luffy figured out the perfect way to fend for his little brother and himself, before he was old enough to start hunting with his older brother, following him around like a little duckling.
The rubber boy had noticed after their grandfather paid them a visit the year prior, that his little brother steadily lost that happy glow he used to have all the time before he found out who his parents were and the story of his birth.
Luffy didn’t hate many people, but at that moment, he hated his grandfather. He knew the old man was the type to try and protect his family, claimed or blood, but he went about it in all the wrong ways. He had a feeling he was trying to get Ace to hate the idea of being a pirate in order to have a better chance at staying out of sight of the marines and thus, having a chance to live his life to the fullest, even if it was quietly on Dawn Island.
That didn’t make it better when he noticed his little brother going to some dingy bar at the bottom of the mountain, asking those dreaded questions that always got him the same piss-drunk answers no matter who answered, before returning back to their den in the Mountain Bandit’s hut to be bandaged and cleaned up by his big brother.
It was at some point during one of his nightly routines of bandaging Ace and making sure he would be okay, that Luffy decided to put his foot down for the first time in Ace’s life with him, like a big brother should.
“Ace, we need to talk.”
“...” A moment of stubborn silence, before Ace finally answered, head still pointed at the ground. “Yes, germà gran (Big Brother)?”
“You know you’re my precious germà petit (little brother), right?” Luffy placed a hand on Ace’s head, fingers tangling gently into the dark wavy locks, he waited a moment, before a small nod was his answer. “Then tell me, why do you continue to do this? This isn’t something you have to do and it’s something I’ve told you not to do this again.”
“But,” Ace looked up, wide heterochromatic eyes so angry and hurt and it made Luffy wish he could swaddle him back up in blankets and keep him safe from everything that could hurt him all over again, like he was a baby once more. “I’m just me! The demon child of the damned and hated Rei Dels Pirates (Pirate King), who killed his own mare (Mother) by being born! I shouldn’t even exist!”
“Okay, that’s enough!” Luffy stomped his foot and nearly regretted the action when Ace took a step back, despair coming over his freckled face. He took a deep breath, trying to reign in his temper for a moment, before falling to his knees and placing his hands on Ace’s bandaged shoulders. “You’re not some nen bastard (bastard child), you’re my precious tresor (treasure), which means no matter what anyone else says, be it some drunk old men or Gramps, you are always going to be my first priority.”
Ace opened his mouth, most likely to try and protest, but instead both children were spooked when a small hiccup escaped, soon followed by another and then another, before the floodgates broke and the young freckled child was sobbing uncontrollably, Luffy moving to pull him into a tight hug as his arms wrapped around the other multiple times in a form of comfort.
The woods were silent as they sat there, the moon being the only witness to Ace’s breakdown as Luffy murmured gentle reassurances into his ear, the younger clinging to the front of his shirt weakly as he sobbed and cried, begging the older to not leave him.
“I promise, el meu preciós tresor (my precious treasure), I’m not going anywhere.” He soothed into the wavy dark locks. “You’re my precious treasure and nothing will change that, germà petit (little brother). Do you understand now, Ace?”
Ace whimpered, face smearing tears and snot into the fabric of Luffy’s red shirt as he nuzzled into his chest. “Sí, germà gran (yes, big brother)!”
They sat there for a little longer, before Luffy began to lead them back to the Bandit’s Hut, gently ushering Ace along the way, when his drowsy little brother would doze into the opposite direction at times.
This was when Monkey D. Luffy made a silent promise to his little brother that he would be there for him until he didn’t need him anymore.
⸻
Luffy: 08 Sabo: 08
Ace: 05
⸻
When Ace turned five, Luffy thought it was time to take Ace to the Grey Terminal to dumpster dive with him for the first time. He’d only taken his eyes off the younger for a total of a minute, before the sounds of a scuffle caught his attention and he was rushing over to find Ace and a boy around his age locked in a brawl, the older blond struggling against his younger brother’s brute strength alone.
Instead of jumping in to try and break up the fight, he stayed back and watched as the blond bared his teeth at Ace, who snarled in return, almost bristling in sheer anger.
The two younger children rolled around a bit longer, before Ace managed to pin the jerking blond, who growled angrily. “I got him, germà gran (big brother)!” He looked over, silver and carmine eyes glinting happily, before he was bucked off by the blond, who stood and glared at the duo.
“Keep your little shit stain of a brother away from my area!” The blond spat and Luffy instantly knew this one belonged with him and Ace.
“I’ve decided!” He grinned, moving forward, keenly aware of Ace’s gaze watching his every step. “You’re going to be me and Ace’s third brother!”
“What?!” Both the blond and Ace yelped out, before turning to glare at one another.
“Why would I want to be your brother?” The blond sneered, sending Luffy the stink eye as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Besides, I don’t want some weak midget as my little brother!”
“I’m not weak and I’m not a midget!” Ace growled, pipe held up threateningly, but was stopped by Luffy’s hand on his shoulder. “Luffy?”
“I have an idea, fight me and if I win, you become me and Ace’s brother,” Luffy grinned broadly at the blond. “If I lose, we leave you alone and stay out of your territory, deal?”
The blond stood there for a moment, observing them with gray blue eyes for a moment, before nodding firmly. “Deal.” He held his hand out for the other child to shake, to which Luffy did so enthusiastically. “You, short stack, be the referee, got it?”
Ace bristled, but only nodded his confirmation at Luffy’s blinding grin, eyes brimming with confidence. The youngest moved and stood in front of a stack of trash, holding an arm up, before dropping it and watching the two older children leap at one another.
Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for the fight to be over. The unknown child didn’t know about Luffy’s Devil Fruit, even though the eight year old didn’t have the best control over his powers just yet, he still had enough brute strength and control to land some decent hits on the other, keeping him pinned and down easily enough after a few harsh swipes from the other child.
“You won, Luffy!” shouted Ace, leaping up and down in celebration as he and his older brother exchanged wide ‘D’ shaped grins. “That means he has to keep his end of the deal, right?”
“Shishishi, that’s right, petit corb (little crow).” Luffy patted Ace on the head for a moment, before moving and reaching his hand to the downed blond. “Now, since I won, I’ll start. My name is Monkey D. Luffy, your new big brother and the future Pirate King! What’s your name, cap d'ou (egghead)?”
The blond blinked for a moment, before taking the proffered hand and allowing himself to be pulled to his feet, dusting his torn clothes off briefly. “My name is Sabo, not…whatever it is that you just called me.”
“Do you not speak Goan?” Ace asked, trotting up to them with wide eyes. “Is that why you talk funny instead?”
“I don’t talk funny! It’s just…we spoke Common the entire time and I didn’t know anyone who didn’t speak it, so there was no need for me to learn Goan.” Sabo kicked at the dirt in front of him with a small blush on his cheeks.
“It’s okay! I taught Ace how to speak Goan, I can teach you too.” beamed Luffy and Sabo smiled shyly at him.
Maybe this wouldn't be the most terrible thing in the world after all. His thoughts didn’t change, even when Ace and Luffy took him back to the Bandits Hut and he met their supposed ‘caretaker’ the following morning and chaos that ensued made it feel all the better.
⸻
Luffy: 10 Sabo: 10
Ace: 07
⸻
Luffy growled lowly under his breath as he tried to lead Ace out of the burning ruins that once were the Gray Terminal, his larger hand wrapped tightly around Ace’s small bruised wrist. Everything had just been looking up.
He and Ace had found the third to their duo, making them a perfect trio of Chaos. They ended up learning how to fight together and take down the animals of the forest that always gave the two such a hard time, they sparred together and they hunted together.
They were Luffy’s precious pack and they watched one another’s back.
It didn’t matter where they came from, nor who their parents were…all that mattered was that Luffy chose them and they were his tresors preciosos (precious treasures).
No matter how much Ace wanted to claim that the world would be better off without him in it polluting the air, no matter how much Sabo despised the fact that he came from a noble household and thought that it was going to make them leave him with his bastard father.
He was going to get him back, but he had to take care of Ace first. They were both hurt badly and even he knew that smoke inhalation wasn’t good for them, no matter if they were monster children or not.
They just had to get home and plan a new way to go and rescue Sabo.
⸻
Luffy stared blankly ahead of him, blood roaring in his ears as it boiled in his body, rage and sadness raging a war within himself as Dogra retold them what he had seen that day when he was in Foosha.
Sabo, his precious cap d'ou (egghead), little brother was gone…shot down in sea, alone and trying to get away from his horrible parents, leaving him alone to raise Ace and be the best big brother he could be for the both of them.
It was up to him to keep Ace in this world, now that one of the tethers that he relied so much on these past three years was gone.
He looked down at his brother, who was watching everything that was going on around him with a desolate look on his face, hand loosely gripping onto Luffy’s shirt, even as his tiny body shook.
It was now them against the world and Luffy would make sure that with every fiber of his being Ace knew that he would raze the entire world down and lay it at his feet if he asked, simply because he was one of Luffy’s last tresors (treasures).
He would make sure they would make it to their dreams, no matter how different those dreams were at the end of the day.
⸻
Luffy: 17 Sabo: 17 Ace: 14
⸻
Luffy grinned widely as he sat on his small little raft, turning to wave at the gathered people of Foosha Village. Hands on his hips as he started to drift out to sea, his eyes looking around at all the sad smiles as he did so.
“Germà gran (Big Brother)! I’ll be there to see you in a few years! Don’t take all the fun out of the world just yet!” Ace demanded childishly, his chin length hair held back by the bright orange cowboy hat that Luffy had bought him for his fourteenth birthday as fat tears welled up in his eyes, he tried to keep a wobbly grin in place for Luffy.
“Of course not, petit corb (little crow)! You’ll be out here with me soon enough!” He called back, grinning once more, before he was gone.
Out in the wide East Blue to collect the perfect crew and take the world by storm, just like he promised Shanks and Ace. Just like he promised Sabo.
After all, he was going to be the next Pirate King and show everyone that his dreams weren’t just big dreams, but a future reality.
⸻
Luffy: 20 Sabo: 20
Ace: 16
⸻
Luffy was minding his own business, for once, he swears on his brother’s life that he wasn’t looking for any trouble.
But then he saw someone with a familiar top hat and goggles, even the outfit looking similar to the one of his beloved little cap d'ou (egghead) that it made him physically stop and contemplate if he was having another grief induced hallucination.
Until the ‘hallucination’ paused to talk to a short orange haired young woman by his side, seemingly making her annoyed with the way her cheeks puffed up, reminding him of his navigator back on the Sunny.
“If she can see him, that means he’s real, which means…” Without finishing his thought aloud, Luffy took off full sprint towards the tall blond haired man and launched himself onto his back, the scrawny man being unable to hold both of their weights as they crashed to the floor. “SABOOOOOO!”
“Sabo-kun?!” He heard the woman screech out from his left, surprise and horror coating her voice. “Hey, get off of-!”
She was cut off by Luffy rearing his arm back and clocking Sabo right in the jaw, the younger man’s head snapping to the right as he winced in pain, before looking back up at his big brother with wide gray-blue eyes, confusion floating in them.
“How could you?! I thought you died, Ace thought you died!” He sobbed out, anger still fueling his tight grip on the stupid cravat that his brother used to wear at all times when they were wild children running all throughout Mt.Corvo’s forest. “You left us, even though I claimed you as mine, you still left us behind.”
By the end of his statement, Luffy’s tears were now dripping down his chin and plopping across Sabo’s star struck face and finally, after a tense moment of silence (only broken by the occasional deep breath from Luffy), Sabo spoke up, voice completely calm, despite the panic that was hiding behind his eyes. “I-I don’t think I know you, but you know me, I think?”
And then, he promptly passed out, leaving Luffy with the unknown girl and his unconscious, apparently amnesiac, little brother.
⸻
When Sabo awoke, he was instantly engulfed in a hug by Koala, who was crying into his shoulder about how worried she was about him after ‘Mugiwara’ Luffy knocked him out for seemingly no reason, which was strange considering the man was known to not do anything without a reason (no matter how simple the reason may be to others).
Gently untangling himself from his partner, the blond Revolutionary turned to look at his big brother, who was still sitting by his side, patiently waiting for him to either give him an explanation or give him a hug of his own free will.
Sabo decided to do both, launching himself out of the bed he was laying in, arms and legs wrapping around his big brother’s body as tightly as possibly, while sobbing into his shoulder and apologizing profusely as he explained the situation from when he escaped his father’s home, to when he decided to leave, only to end up being blown up the visiting Celestial Dragon and how Dragon found him and allowed him to come and join the Revolutionary.
“Sabo, you can’t go telling everyone that!” Koala hissed and Sabo knew she was worried about him, since it wasn’t well known that Dragon had children hidden for when or if they wanted to join the Revolutionary army when they got older.
“It’s okay! This is my older brother, Dragon’s son, Monkey D. Luffy.” Sabo was settled on Luffy’s lap comfortably, his older brother’s chin settled on the crown of his head, one long rubbery arm wrapped tightly around him.
“O-Oh! I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Koala shifted, looking uncomfortable at the thought of accusing Sabo’s precious big brother of doing him any actual harm that wasn’t for his own good.
“No, don’t worry about it,” Luffy gave a bright grin her way, face splitting into that rubbery too wide ‘D’ beam. “Thank you for taking care of my little cap d'ou (egghead)!” The rubber man stood and bowed at the wait, Sabo still clinging to his side like a child all over again as he giggled, their heads butting gently in an affectionate manner. “Now, I have one thing to request of you, germà petit (little brother).” Luffy met Sabo’s (now mismatched) eyes, a small frown on his face. “Take me to my father.”
⸻
Dragon knew that leaving his son in his father’s care would have some serious repercussions one day. Maybe his child would turn out to be a marine, maybe he would grow up hating the fact that the man never took him with him, despite coming back to the island and visiting from a distance many times.
The options were endless and very few actually had a good ending at the end of them. Although, their current meeting wasn’t one that he had in mind.
“Sabo…” The leader of the revolutionary army sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose at the sight of his Chief of Staff being held up by the back of his neck, giving him an awkward grin as ‘Mugiwara’ Monkey D. Luffy held him by the back of his neck, a firm scowl on his face as his own dark eyes met Dragon’s. “What is going on?”
“Uh, remember how you thought I’d never get my memories back after the explosion?” The blond stuck his bottom lip out as he poked his two pointer fingers together, trying to play up an innocent front that his boss wasn’t buying in the slightest. “Well, I ran into someone from my past…who just so happens to be your son…and he-,”
“Has a bone to pick with you!” His son grunted, pulling Sabo closer to his side and releasing his hold on the younger man’s neck and allowing him to scramble behind him like a shield. “You see, you may have brought me into this world and I may not know you, but I don’t give a damn. You see, this? This tall dorky brat behind me right now? This is mine!”
As if to punctuate his statement, Luffy wrapped both arms around Sabo multiple times, pulling him close to his chest. “This is el meu preciós tresor (my precious treasure) and I don’t take too lightly to those who take my treasures from me…but I’ll be willing to forgive you, for a price.”
Dragon looked skyward and asked whoever was out there listening, what did he ever do to deserve this.
⸻
Sabo looked out at the sea, his eyes giving away nothing that was going on in his head, even as he heard Luffy and his navigator going on back and forth behind him. He was still coming to terms with everything.
From the age of ten, after Dragon fished him out of the water, he’d been wondering what had happened to him to make him want to run away from his home island, but eventually he assumed he wasn’t going to ever learn.
Only to be reunited with his older brother (who was one of the youngest Yonko out there, which was amazing) and remembered that he had a precious little brother of his own (and he wondered if Ace was still like a cute prickly stray kitten, even with their sweet older brother looking out for him).
It was terrifying to think about how he forgot about them, even making him play with the thought that maybe they were better off without him after everything that had happened. It would’ve been wrong of him to think everything could just go back to normal after everything, especially considering how his brothers had issues of their own.
He was shaken from his thoughts as Luffy’s loud voice brought his attention back. “I don’t care that we’re too far at the moment! I need to go and see Ace! He has to see Sabo! He has to see that he’s still alive!”
Nami looked frustrated, a hand moving to tug at her bright orange locks for a moment, before she sighed heavily. “You know, we might not make it in time.”
“In time for what?” His big brother tilted his head, finally moving over to Sabo’s side and pulling him into his side like he was a child all over again (and it made Sabo want to cry as he instinctively moved to curl into the warmth with muscle memory).
“Just, keep that in mind.” She sighed, not going into detail and the blond couldn’t blame her, after all if Luffy didn’t know now, there was no way he was going to remember during their entire trip there.
“Anyway, you’re Luffy’s younger brother?” The long nosed sniper asked from where he was tinkering with something on the deck, a plate of snacks at his side. “You certainly don’t act like him in the slightest.”
“Oh, I learned how to hide my insanity behind a smile.” Sabo teased, hand curling to clutch at Luffy’s shirt. “You see, guardià (guardian) didn’t hold back, but he basically raised me and Ace, so we all have a touch of insanity in us.”
The sniper paused, before nodding. “Yeah, that makes sense. We met Ace once when Luffy went back for his birthday and it was an experience to say the least.” He went back to tinkering and Sabo took that as an opportunity to just relax and soak in the fact that he was with his brother again after so long of believing that he was truly alone in the world, even with the Revolutionary Army behind his back.
It was great to be back.
The thought was solidified when Luffy knocked his top hat off and began to run his fingers through the blond curls, just like when Sabo was a scared child, worried about some unseen boogeyman coming back and taking him away from his precious family.
“I won’t let anyone take you again, el meu preciós tresor cap d'ou (my precious egghead treasure).” Luffy promised, the words whispered so only Sabo could hear them as he began to drift off in contentment.
Yeah, it was great to be back.
⸻
One Month Later
Dawn Island
Luffy: 20 Sabo: 20
Ace: 17
⸻
Ace grinned brightly as he started his journey, hat held tightly to the top of his head as he made his way into the world to make a mark, much like his older brother had done three years ago and how he wished to see his other brother off at the same time.
But he couldn’t focus on that at the moment. He had to go and make sure everyone knew his name as Portgas D. Ace, one of the best pirates to sail from East Blue, like Monkey D. Luffy, not the son of the hated Rei Dels Pirates (Pirate King).
⸻
Luffy blinked as the words sunk into his head, Sabo standing beside him as Foosha natives greeted him after so long of believing him to be dead, his own face full of despaired shock.
“What do you mean we were too late?!” yelped Sabo, pushing gently past the happy villagers.
“Ace’s birthday was last week and he left to start his pirate journey, just like he promised Luffy he would.” Makino explained, a sweet smile on her face. “He thought Luffy would’ve been here in time to see him off, but thought something important came up in one of his territories, so he didn’t let it bother him.”
The green haired barmaid felt her smile strain at the edges as both young men fell in front of her. Her boys were always strange, though this seemed to be more…expressive reactions at the moment.
“I told you we probably wouldn’t make it in time,” Nami snorted, looking over her map and tracing it with her finger. “If your youngest is anything like the oldest, he’s going to head down the same path, from what I can guess.”
“No, he’s going to try and do something bigger than Luffy.” Sabo groaned, moving to sit more comfortably on the floor, sending a tired glance towards the orange haired navigator. “He has a different dream from Luffy’s. Luffy wanted the best of the best, so he quickly went on to finding a good crew. Ace wants to be known for his name all around, meaning he’s going to go for something with a background, with something that he can use to prove himself with.”
Nami’s face began to slowly pale as she looked around the map. “You don’t think your brother is dumb enough to try and go to Sixis, do you?”
“What’s Sixis?” Luffy asked, neck stretching to go and look over Nami’s shoulder at the map, while Sabo leapt to his feet and rushed to see what she was seeing.
“Sixis is known to have a hidden treasure on it, but most people never make it off the island once they arrive because the currents are too strong and leave them shipwrecked there until their last days…” explained the blond, a headache beginning to come on as he realized… “Yes, Ace is dumb enough to want to prove himself by going to Sixis and looking for some fucking treasure that probably doesn’t even exist!”
“Oh, el meu petit corb (my little crow),” Luffy cooed, his eyes warm in a way that was reserved for his crew and family members only as he smiled. “I bet you he’s going to find the treasure.”
“That’s not the point!” screeched Sabo and Nami in sync, the orange haired navigator letting the map go in favor of strangling her captain, while Sabo grabbed the map out of the air.
“What if we have to go after him?! Don’t you know that the Sunny might not be able to fight off those damn currents?!” She yelled, comical tears of fear popping into the corner of her wide brown eyes.
“That aside, what if he drowns on the way there? Didn’t you say his narcolepsy got worse as time went on?” whined Sabo, eyes moving all over the map, but he knew it was no use.
He had the sea sense of direction like a blind dog, he couldn't figure the map out for the life of him.
“What are we going to do?” Sabo looked at his big brother for some idea, since he was the captain and hopefully had a plan.
“Well, obviously, we go after him. Even if that means he went to Sixis, we’re going to go and get Ace and show him that Sabo is alive.” Luffy’s arms crossed over his chest as he looked at Nami, who was covering her face as she sobbed. “Captain’s orders, got it?”
“Y-yes, Captain…” The orange haired woman went back to the ship, most likely to start setting their course.
“Now, come on, cap d'ou (egghead)!” Luffy turned and looked at the blond with his nickname for him. “It’s time for me and you to start planning for when we see Ace again!”
Sabo felt his despair begin to fade away as he looked at Luffy’s self assured and confident grin, somehow knowing that with his brother by his side, it might just be okay in the long run. “Yes, germà gran (big brother)!”
⸻
Ace blinked as he sat up, his ship was laying around him in wrecked pieces, the waves seemingly calm for the time being, despite the silver and carmine eyed pirate knowing for a fact that they tossed him onto this island like a giant seaking to lunch.
“What the actual fuck?” He breathed, looking around wildly.
“Oh, good to see you awake, I guess.” The sound of a man’s voice had Ace’s head whipping around to see a masked man standing beside him, already poised to turn and walk away. “Since you’re not dead, I’ll be taking my leave then.”
“Wait, would you happen to be able to tell me about this place?” Ace scrambled to his feet, watching with a small smile as the blue haired man paused. “And maybe who you are, if you don’t mind adding that in.”
“This is Sixis, the land with some hidden treasure, I guess.” The masked man started, looking around at the deserted island. “It’s known for having destructive currents that shipwreck any who get too close to try and find the treasure. As for my name, I don’t have one. I abandoned it on my way to start my own story and adventure.”
“Huh,” Ace glanced around with a grimace. Well, fuck him, he guessed. “I’m Portgas D. Ace, I’m here to start my pirate journey, but this is one mess I didn’t predict happening so soon into my journey. Would you like to join my crew, Deuce?”
“Hold up, who the hell is Deuce?” The blue haired man glared at him, arms crossed over his chest. “And why would I join a pirate crew? That’s like a death sentence right there and then! I was looking for an adventure, not prison time.”
“Well, you said you didn’t have a name and besides, we’re stuck here together and as far as I know, there aren’t any other people here, right? Might as well have something to call you.” huffed Ace, a pout making its way onto his freckled features as he pushed his shoulder blade length hair out of his face slightly.
After Luffy left, he decided to grow it out a bit more to feel a bit closer to his mom, usually using some of it to cover his silver eye, but at the moment he was annoyed and needed it out of his face.
“And the pirate thing, are we just going to ignore that factor?” Deuce questioned dryly.
“Listen, I’m just saying it would benefit both of us,” Ace tried again, standing to his full height, which was still a few centimeters shy of Deuce’s eyes. “I need a crew and you need a way off of this damned island. Despite you not saying shit, I can tell you’ve been here way too long. So, just think about it.”
Deuce bit his lip as the teenager turned on his heel and made his way into the thick of the forest.
They both had some things to contemplate at this moment, it seemed.
⸻
Sabo gave a sigh of relief as they began to see the small island in the distance coming closer, Sunny rocking a little more once the currents began to pick up to dangerous levels for any other ship.
But this was his big brother’s ship, the one that was going to hold the future Pirate King. It was made to be tough and withstand things like this in order to bring Luffy to his place at the top.
“I see Sixis ahead!” He yelled to his older brother, who suddenly launched from the lower deck and next to him, arms latching to wrap around the blond’s shoulders to keep from rocketing over the edge of the railing.
“Ace should be there, right?” Luffy asked, peering over at Sabo, who nodded firmly, let set into a line. “Then, let’s hurry and go save him!”
“Aye!” His crew called out, all pumping a fist into the air and Sabo felt himself relax just the tiniest bit (he couldn't relax fully, not until they knew Ace was okay and in one piece).
He grinned as the Sunny began to sail closer to the island and soon enough, they were right on the outskirts of the island. That was when Luffy decided to launch them towards the shore, arm wrapped tightly around Sabo’s waist as he used his other arm as an anchor to a tree.
The blond screamed, both horror and excitement coming from the sound as they raced towards the area in front of them.
If Ace didn’t see them before, he was going to hear them now. With a resounding crash, the two brothers flew through some of the shrubbery, before halting when a tree stopped their collision, Sabo landing securely against his big brother’s chest, while Luffy’s back smacked into the hard bark behind them.
“Ouch, okay, that was both fun and terrifying.” groaned the blond, untangling himself. “Are you okay, Luffy?”
“Shishishi, that was fun!” Luffy laughed, standing brushing off any dirt from the fly, even as his younger brother went about picking off any leaves and twigs from him. “Now! To find-!”
“Germà Gran (Big Brother)?!” They heard a voice squeak from a few feet in front of them, causing them to turn and stare at their youngest with wide eyes.
Sabo took in every inch of Ace’s profile, soaking in all the new things about him. He’ certainly shot up from the runt of the group when they were kids, though he was still shorter than himself and Luffy by at least a head, his hair was longer now, brushing his shoulder blades (and Sabo frowned just the slightest bit when he noticed that Ace’s silver eye was covered by some of the fringe that grew in), he’d obviously been working out these past couple of years, the muscle was still developing and he looked a little skinner (not that Sabo could blame him, Sixis was known for having nothing on it).
“Petit Corb (Little Crow)!” Luffy beamed, rushing forward and pulling his brother close to him, his hand running through the long dark locks as he pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, his other hand moved and gestured for Sabo to start coming closer. “Listen, I want you to see someone, okay?”
Ace blinked (and Sabo grinned proudly at the fact that Luffy had used that opportunity to move his hair out of his face), looking up with worried, yet trusting eyes. “Okay, should I be worried?”
“No, no! You know them very well!” Luffy usually wasn’t good with delicate situations, but Sabo could only see how this could end badly for all of them if some precautions weren’t taken in this direction. “Ace, meet…Sabo.”
“Hey, pila curta (short stack).” He murmured, seeing the distrust that instantly came into the silver and carmine eyes as he moved away from Luffy, body tensing up. Sabo looked back at their big brother, sadness coming to his eyes.
This might not work out the way they’d hoped after all.
They sat there for a moment, bodies tensed as they waited for someone to make the first move. Sabo could hear Ace audibly growling in his direction. Finally, the blond decided to bite the bullet. “It was actually your idea to steal the bottle of sake from Dadan’s and become Luffy’s official little brothers.”
Ace paused, eyes narrowing in on him as Sabo started walking closer, hands held up in a nonthreatening manner. “How do you know that?” The words were vicious, yet held an undertone of fearful pain.
“I know that because I’m your older brother, petit corb (little crow).” Sabo moved closer, no longer feeling like he was in danger of being attacked by his little brother, and then pulled him into a hug. “After the explosion, I didn’t die, I ended up getting amnesia from the blast and Dragon-san picked me up and took me in. I only remembered who I was when I ran into Luffy, he reminded me of who I was and who I belonged to. He brought me back to you guys and I just want to apologize to you.”
Ace’s look of mistrust disappeared fully now as instead, tears began to fill them and he wrapped his arms tightly around Sabo, small shoulders shaking as he began to cry into the blond’s chest. “We thought you were gone! It was just me and Germà Gran (Big Brother)!”
“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” Sabo pressed a small kiss to the top of Ace’s head as Luffy hopped over to them and hugged them both tightly to himself.
“Shishishi, it’s okay now, we’re all back together and in one piece again.” chuckled their older brother.
The moment was broken by the smell of burning rubber and cloth, Luffy and Sabo leaping back with matching yelps of surprise and minor pain as they looked at their youngest brother, who stared back with wide confused eyes for a moment, before a look of realization came over his face.
“Oh! Yeah, sorry about that!” Ace smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. “I ended up eating a Devil Fruit by accident and now I have cool fire powers!” As if to demonstrate his point, Ace threw a fist forward and a column of flames flew out, barely missing Sabo as the Revolutionary ducked out of the way. “Oops! My control isn’t the best just yet though…”
“Well, with time, hopefully you’ll be better.” sighed the middle brother, before he paused. “What were you doing out here anyway?”
“I was getting some firewood,” Ace responded cheerily as he leaned down and began to pick up the pile of wood he had, apparently, been carrying. “Me and Deuce are on our way out of this place.”
“Deuce?” Luffy raised an eyebrow, the protectiveness he always held when his brothers were concerned shining through once more. “Who is that?”
“My first mate…” Ace kicked at the sand lightly for a second, seemingly trying to avoid the conversation entirely.
“You have a first mate already, even though you literally left Dawn Island and came straight over here?” Sabo crossed his arms as he cocked his hip. “Do you really think we’re going to believe that?”
“I’m serious!” pouted Ace as he started making his way back to wherever he set up camp. “I didn’t meet him before I got here, but I definitely did get him to agree to be my first mate.”
“Okay, then please, explain.” Sabo pushed as he and Luffy began to follow their younger brother at a slow pace.
“I met him here and at first, he didn’t want to be my first mate…especially once he learned that I was Gol D. Roger’s son…” Ace winced at the sudden crushing feeling of Luffy’s Haki slamming down around them, a small whine of fear slipping out as the older pirates’ will demanded him to bow, fall to his knee, whatever it was he had to submit.
Sabo fell to his knees, a cough slipping out of his mouth at the crushing weight, before it lifted and he was able to breathe comfortably again, hand rising to rest on his chest.
“You told him?” Luffy’s voice was low as he looked at Ace, who looked down shamefully. “Why would you tell him?”
“Because you told me that if I wanted someone as my first mate that I had to fully trust them and I told Deuce to see his reaction.” Ace shuffled nervously and Sabo understood the feeling.
When they were kids, neither of them liked to make Luffy angry, not in the slightest and now Ace had gone the step further and put himself in danger and admitted it to their fiercely overprotective brother.
“That may be true, but how do you know he wouldn’t have tried to kill you right there and then, when you’re clearly not at your fullest without food and proper water?” Silence was the response he received, which didn’t settle well with the older pirate. “I’m waiting.”
“...I could just tell he was a good guy, I promise.” Ace’s voice was small and meek, which Sabo knew was something only Luffy could draw out of him. “He didn’t do anything and I’m sorry if it seemed a little hasty, but I knew something in Deuce was trustworthy.”
“I want to meet him.” Sabo knew he could pipe in, tell Luffy that their brother was striving to make his own crew with his own name, but he didn’t want to step over the line that made up the hierarchy, otherwise it’d be like undermining Luffy’s authority as the oldest and the leader.
“Sí, Germà Gran…” Ace sighed, looking completely dejected at the thought, but knowing better than to argue and trudged along the path. “Deuce! I’m back!”
“Oh, Captain, good to see you in one- who’s that?” Deuce was a masked man with light blue hair and blue eyes, pointing at Sabo, before his gaze swept onto Luffy and his entire body froze. “Wait, correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s the youngest Yonko of the Sea, ‘Mugiwara’ Luffy, isn’t it?”
Ace said nothing, but he did nod in confirmation, completely ignoring the wheezing gasp of surprised shock from his first mate. “He’s also my big brother…”
“Wait, is he also a son of Gol D. Roger?” When Ace shook his head, Deuce now looked confused. “Then how is he-?”
“He’s my brother because I claimed him as mine, got a problem with that?” Luffy glared, Haki barely restrained under his skin as he clenched his fist, when Deuce shook his head, the rubber man nodded firmly. “Good. Now, I have some questions for you…”
And that was how Sabo and Ace spent the next hour watching Luffy drill Ace’s newest first mate with questions and out of the world scenarios that could (never) possibly happen while traveling with Ace, before he turned and grinned widely at Ace. “I like him. He’s a great first mate.”
Ace brightened up drastically, his smile a beaming ‘D’ grin that matched Luffy’s own. “Isn’t he? He’s the best one I’ve found yet!”
“He’s the only one you’ve found at the moment, petit corb (little crow).” snorted Sabo, a hand coming to hide his grin as Ace scowled his way.
“Yeah, well at least I didn’t fish him out of the ocean, cap d'ou (egghead).” Ace sneered back and Sabo decided this was the proper time to teach the brat his place, leaping at his younger brother and beginning to tussle with him, the two rolling back and forth, completely ignoring Deuce’s look of shock and Luffy’s grin of pure pride.
Yeah, they may have lost one another during at some point, but as long as they remained Luffy’s precious treasures, they would always find their way back to him and to their home with one another.