Chapter Text
Sabo was blindfolded.
He could hear soft laughter across the Spadille as Deuce led him up the stairs then over to the portside railing in his freshly laundered linen blue trousers and vest.
Someone slid his goggles into his gloved hand, only confusing him. His teeth flashed under the blindfold, amused at the situation, but Ace insisted he not peek until the right time, so he played along.
The moment Deuce slid away the blindfold, Sabo immediately glanced behind him at the smiling faces of the crew.
“Go on,” one of them called out.
Sabo turned back to look out at the island in the distance. Jungles and beach, he could see. There was elevation past the trees, but the morning dew suspended there made it difficult to make out a rough mountainous shape somewhere on the strange island.
Was it strange? Or was it strangely familiar?
A smile crept onto Sabo’s face, and his stomach tied a little knot, thinking that maybe he recognized this place. The leaves seemed greener here, the ocean bluer.
And wow… the wind here was soft, smelling so floral and perfect.
As his hands rested on the rail, chills erupted up both Sabo’s arms.
He heard a snicker from below, someone taking in his reaction to the beautiful shore with a wide grin.
Ace. He was already balanced on Striker in the water, bobbing gently on the tide with one hand keeping his hat on as he peered up.
“You only get one guess where we are,” Ace said.
Sabo bit his lip for a moment because he knew.
“You brought me home,” Sabo said.
Their smiles faltered, eyes getting glossy and cheeks reddening slightly at the realization, having to swallow with the intense emotion. So much pain and heartache, and it was really, truly over now.
And they’d be taking Striker from the ship, no rain and no dark clouds in sight.
Ace nodded, extending his hand, asking Sabo to join him.
“On a sunny day, like I said,” Ace told him.
Sabo tugged his goggles over his eyes that very moment, looking like he’d never been ready for something this much in his life.
It was only after they’d sped off on Striker that Marco, Deuce and the others leaned on the rail, watching them go before Wallace groaned to himself, kicking away his boots and stretching.
“Gonna make sure they don’t fall in, huh?” Marco asked as Wallace rubbed his hands together to get his blood going.
“Those idiots make me so goddamn nervous,” Wallace laughed, making the crew laugh one more time before he took an expert twisting dive into the ocean below.
Waves shimmered like liquid aquamarine as Ace threaded his beloved vessel around crests. Its sleek frame cut through the water with a speed that made his heart race every time. Today, though, his excitement was twofold.
Beside him, Sabo leaned against the mast, one hand gripping Ace’s shoulder with the wind tousling his blond hair. They had both been waiting for this moment for too long.
“You ready for this?” Ace asked.
“Been ready since the day you made the promise.”
Ace grinned, adjusting the sails to catch the wind just right.
“Well, hold on tight. Striker’s about to show you what she’s made of.”
With a swift movement, Ace guided the vessel into the wind. Striker responded instantly, leaping forward with a burst of speed.
Sabo’s eyes widened in delight as the vessel skimmed over the waves, the thrill of the ride taking hold. Man, the way Ace had her skipping so clean across the water made them weightless.
He felt an eruption of wonderful butterflies to see the water glitter, the sunlight on their skin and the perfect glide through the ocean until he couldn’t take the perfect feeling anymore.
Sabo shouted over the roar of the wind and waves, grinning as Ace joined him, yelling at the top of their lungs until they were laughing as Striker ripped down cresting waves.
Their eyes fixed on the horizon zooming fast in a wide arc around the shore.
“Told you she’d be fun!” Ace called over his shoulder.
The two of them shared the moment to its fullest, the years of separation and struggle melting away as they sailed together. The sea stretched endlessly as if they could go anywhere together like this.
But they weren’t going very far today.
Ace slowed the Striker to a more leisurely pace, turning to Sabo with a soft look.
“I missed this place,” Ace admitted quietly.
Sabo nodded, his gaze lingering on Ace.
“Missed us when we were here together.”
“We won’t put it off any longer, then,” Ace told him with smiling eyes.
For a moment, they coasted over waves in silence, ocean and wind the only sounds.
Then, Sabo ran his fingers down the inside of Ace’s arm to grasp his hand, the touch warm and steady between them sending both of their hearts racing like drumbeats to herald their arrival.
As if they could hear Dawn Island welcoming them home.
Ace looked down at their intertwined fingers, a feeling of contentment washing over him while Striker neared the beach. He squeezed Sabo’s hand gently, a promise of many more adventures to come.
When they carefully hauled the vessel into the beach to the treeline, Sabo helped Ace hide Striker under low-hanging limbs, spreading out branches of green leaves around her.
“We’re on foot from here,” Ace said with his hands resting on his belted hips for a moment, staring into the jungle like an old friend.
“You gonna get us lost in there?” Sabo asked looking into the dark, wild greenery, only laughing when Ace looked comically offended.
“Like this place isn’t burned into my brain,” Ace replied, scoffing as he felt for Sabo’s hand to lead him through the ferns.
Didn’t take long until lush flora surrounded them, tall trees casting dappled shadows on the ground. It had rained recently, jungle air rich with the earthy scent of damp soil and the sweet aroma of blooming flowers.
A cool breeze tempered the warmth of the day, making their trek uphill comfortable despite the exertion.
As they walked, the jungle came alive with the sounds of nature, awakening memories long buried as Sabo honed in on every trill from ten different kinds of birds, all so recognizable that it moved him deeply.
This was how home sounded, making his heart almost sore with homesickness, fourteen years’ worth of needing to hear those birds again hitting him all at once.
“You okay?” Ace checked in, feeling him slow down.
“Mhm,” was all Sabo could hum to reassure him, bittersweet to be back and still aching from having forgotten everything he loved about his childhood here. Feeling betrayed by his body and grateful to have everything back, a confusing battle painful in his chest.
Until Ace stopped his thoughts.
“Hey,” Ace said, holding back like he was bursting to tell Sabo something, “I know a shortcut I think you’ll like. Well, it’s the opposite of a shortcut, but… wanna take the scenic route?”
Sabo nodded, comforted by Ace’s sudden rush of excitement.
Then something else grabbed Ace’s attention. Thorny low-lying brambles dotted with wild red clusters of berries. His eyes lit up, already salivating when he realized what they were.
He paused to pick a sprig, walking backwards with a victorious smile to show Sabo what he found, the thin vine full of the delicious things.
“Mulberries,” Sabo stated the second he recognized them, “Man, we used to eat these until we got sick. They’re so good.”
But when he reached for the vine Ace held out between them, he was shocked when Ace moved it out of his reach.
“The thorns used to mark up your gloves,” Ace told him, “Let me.”
Ace picked out two red ones fading to white near the stem, leaving the dark ones on the vine as they walked.
“You picked the underripe ones for me,” Sabo noticed, laughing and accepting when Ace gently placed them into his mouth.
“Yeah because those are your favorite,” Ace explained, shrugging like it should’ve been common knowledge, “Me and Luffy had to fight over the sweeter ones.”
Sabo’s eyes pinched with enjoyment as he bit into them, dry and sour and perfect like expensive candy. Like sun-dried strawberries dusted with lemon powder. f*ck, they were perfect. Ace was too right about his preferences.
He only swallowed them quickly because Ace was already lifting more to his lips, making him laugh as he accepted more.
“You’re spoiling me,” Sabo mumbled, holding a gloved hand to his mouth after he enjoyed and swallowed the rest.
“Not yet,” Ace told him, licking his own pink-stained lips as his gaze flickered to Sabo’s mouth, picturing how it might taste right now.
“Ace,” Sabo reacted, watching him toss the empty vine to take his hand again and still looking hungrier than the berries could ever satisfy. They shared such a tempting look that it stole his breath.
Ace gave in and kissed Sabo right there in the jungle when they’d barely even started their trek. Ace hummed instantly, liking it even more than he thought. The taste between them was a perfect mix, like pure wine on their tongues.
Sabo leaned into him, deepening the kiss eagerly with a gloved hand threading into his glossy dark hair. Ace’s mouth was so sweet it tempted him to try the darker berries next time, if they tasted even a fraction as good as Ace did.
Ace broke away with a helpless grin, resting against his face with a huff of excitement and his heavy arm around Sabo’s shoulders.
Sabo couldn’t get enough of seeing him like this, cheeks nearly as flushed as his berry-stained lips. Sabo’s eyes took in the sight of him up close under those soft, blond lashes that made Ace lightheaded.
“f*ck, I’m gonna make us late if you keep looking at me like that,” he blamed Sabo with a happy whisper.
“Only time I see you worried about being late, there’s food involved,” Sabo snorted gently, straightening his soft linen shirt with one hand as Ace led him forward again.
“More drink than food where we’re going,” Ace told him with a wink.
And sure enough, it wasn’t long before Sabo’s ears picked up on what Ace meant.
The sound of cascading water filled the air as Ace and Sabo made their way uphill, picking their path carefully around the soggy ground until Sabo felt Ace nudge him, looking up in surprise.
Aged, mossy rock had broken out of the ground forming a crevice that met at the top. From it, water poured forming a stream leading past them into the jungle below.
“I know this place,” Sabo breathed, eyes going wide in amazement. Like a dream coming to life.
Being a cave-like structure, Sabo would’ve expected darkness inside, but when Ace led him into it, the ceiling opened up letting in light from above, and the opening was the source of the water and green vines, letting a loud waterfall pour in with rays of morning sunlight.
Sabo blinked a tear from his eye, watching the cascading water slow down in time until he could see every rainbow scattering from its falling droplets.
In his mind, he could hear it, his own voice telling Ace, ‘Think I remembered something… that waterfall cave…’
And Ace smiling wistfully, saying, ‘We loved that cave.’
Sabo had chills again, feeling Ace’s hands running up his arms over his linen sleeves before hugging him from behind. He rocked him there for a moment, watching the water falling in slow motion with a smile on their faces.
They still had boots on, standing to the side of the cave where water didn’t reach, but the cave was filled with clear water nearly wall-to-wall like a small, private lake of their own. It was impossible to resist.
“Get your shoes off,” Ace whispered in his ear, shuffling slightly as he kicked his own boots away.
“Well, maybe those nice clothes, too.”
Ace pulled off his shorts and stretched his arms as if… he was about to go for a swim?
Sabo watched him for a moment, taking a long second to process this.
“But we…”
Ace seemed to know what he was thinking, winking as he let himself fall backwards into the water, splashing into it and returning to the surface to float near where Sabo stood in amazement.
“You were sad you can’t swim, said it’s your favorite thing to do, so what are you waiting for?” Ace shrugged, “We can swim here. It’s fresh water. Why’d you think I brought you here?”
Sabo’s eyebrows turned up at the overwhelming love that surged through him. It made his hands shake in his urgency to strip everything off, tugging his goggles down fast over his eyes.
Sabo ran barefoot past where Ace was in the water, feet pattering fast over the moss until he reached the edge, taking a leap into the chilly lake with an elated noise that echoed his happiness infinitely around the cave, creating the biggest splash of water he could manage with his dive.
He arced his body deep underwater, surprised at the depth of the modest lake. It was shockingly clear, and just as he touched down to the bottom, he looked up to appreciate the view.
Streams of tiny bubbles escaped his smile as he sat on the mossy rock. He leaned back on both hands so his eyes could take in the sunlight dancing across the water’s distance surface in enchanting patterns.
Ace dipped underwater to get eyes on him, brave enough to try swimming down to him since the water was clear enough to see. It still seemed to make Ace nervous, and he wasn’t the strongest swimmer anymore, but he wouldn’t let that stop him from overcoming this.
He let out air to help him stink, kicking strong arms and legs to join Sabo.
Sabo, delighted, reached for his hand, pulling him easily to slide into his arms. He smoothed Ace’s hair out of his eyes, both of them reveling in the light patterns and the weightlessness. It was like existing in a dream, floating around each other and making each other grin.
Ace let their noses brush, smiles fading as their fingers traced each others skin in the soft sunlight. Heat emanated from Ace’s body, causing his skin to sparkle with water beading across it from the warmth he created. Sabo was drawn to it like a feline, getting closer in the chilly water so Ace could wrap him tightly in his arms.
Ace’s palm heated Sabo’s cold cheek, letting his thumb move softly across his lips and kissing his forehead above his goggles as they revolved with the gentle current underwater.
‘Thank you,’ Sabo tapped, just for being here with him, showing Sabo this place he could swim freely until they were running out of oxygen.
He took Ace’s hand and kicked hard off the bottom, the stronger swimmer helping him quickly to the surface.
Their wet faces broke through, breathing in the air gratefully and clutching for the rocks at the edge of the cave.
Ace helped Sabo get a foothold up the rocks before lifting himself out, both of them taking a few minutes to shake the water off.
They plopped down in a ray of sunlight, soaking in the gentle heat of it.
“Can I dry us faster?” Ace asked, smiling as he peeked over at Sabo with one eye open.
“Go for it,” Sabo replied, basking a little as he felt flames erupt beside him.
‘My little human campfire,’ Sabo thought, fuzzy at the sensation of Ace being his, belonging to him forever.
Sabo slowly got his clothes back on when he felt dry, seeing Ace doing the same with his shorts.
“How was the swim?” Ace asked, smiling at the way Sabo was absolutely glowing at his side.
Sabo had no words, falling back to shamelessly howl into the cave like a wolf pup, letting the echoing howls multiply the happy sound to answer him.
They burst into laughter.
“f*ck, I forgot we used to do that,” Ace laughed, wiping his eyes.
Sabo suddenly hesitated, because…
A third laugh seemed to have joined them.
Sabo pushed back his goggles to trap his damp hair out of his eyes, skin erupting in chills at the sound of his voice.
“Oy, I heard howling. We got wild animals in here?” Luffy asked.
“You’re late,” Ace called with a note of humor, “What, I should’ve promised you food to get you here on time?”
Sabo felt a shift with his Haki reaching out in confusion. The air changed, intense pressure that would’ve been suffocating if he wasn’t strong enough to push back.
Ace felt Luffy’s Haki too, rolling his eyes and nearly telling him to knock it the hell off. But he didn’t interrupt so Sabo could take it in. So he could react to how strong their brother had gotten.
Really strong.
Sabo’s brow knitted, reaching out curiously at him, drawing back in alarm at the strange sensation, like everything felt vaguely hilarious. He felt high for a moment, the kind of delirious humor when he hadn’t slept in over a day, and his body felt lazy with a pleasant tingling everywhere, making him want to laugh like he was a small child again. And then the presence faded, Luffy pulling back his Haki because Ace shot him a look.
“Yeah, that’s enough,” Ace chided, but he cursed when he had to stifle a stupid giggle as Luffy’s powerful energy finally got through to him.
Sabo looked toward the opening at the front of the cave, over to a silhouette standing against the daylight.
Ace hadn’t said his name yet, but Sabo recognized that voice anywhere, even if his Haki was completely new to Sabo.
There was only one person this could be.
“I—“ Sabo managed, stunned, “…Luffy?”
It was.
Luffy let the bag he brought drop carefully where he stood, just now seeing Sabo in person. Barely visible silhouetted against the harsh daylight, Luffy’s lower lip quivered, eyes misting over as if he still refused to believe it was true, that… that…
“It’s really you? …Sabo?” Luffy said.
Ace steadied Sabo because he looked shell-shocked by the sight of their little brother.
Really quietly, just where Ace could hear him, Sabo was having an episode as he felt himself strangely panicking.
“Where’s my baby brother? That’s not him.”
“He’s grown,” Ace told him, nearly laughing, “He’s taller. Got muscle now.”
Sabo ripped his goggles off like it was their fault he lost so much time with Luffy. He looked genuinely broken as Ace fixed both hands around his face to calm him.
“He wasn’t supposed to change this much. I didn’t think he’d grow up this fast. He looks so different,” Sabo lamented under his breath.
“So do you, and you aged so f*cking perfect Sabo. Aging means you survived. It’s a good thing, for you and Luffy both,” Ace said full of pride, “I know it’s been awhile, but that’s still our baby right there. He’s just like he was, I promise you. Go say hi.”
Sabo cursed softly, already fighting back tears as he got to his feet with Ace.
The sunlight streaming through the falls cast a shimmering rainbow mist, a magical atmosphere like a painting— it was no wonder that they all liked it here so much. And it surrounded Luffy as he stood opposite them.
“S-Sabo?” Luffy asked again, taking a couple more steps into the cave. He was gripping one arm, hardly even recognizing Sabo as the strange, blond man approached.
His curls had relaxed, or maybe it was the dampness weighing them down. Sabo ruffled his own hair, obviously nervous. His scarred eye was almost all Luffy could see though, gaping openly at the sight the closer he got. And then Sabo was too tall, feeling like he towered over him after so long apart.
But there were those blue eyes Luffy knew, and Sabo had them rounded in concern for him, such a familiar expression. He wriggled his gloves on tighter, a little habit he always had that caught Luffy’s attention now.
His clothes seemed like what he always wore, smart gentlemanly layers of white and blue, and still much too formal for jungle adventures like this. And yet it suited him down to the ground, making Luffy start to smile a little wider the more he began to recognize his brother.
It had been fourteen years since Luffy had thought he lost Sabo, and the pain of that loss had never truly faded.
Sabo stepped forward first, his voice gentle but strong. “Luffy.”
For a moment, Luffy seemed frozen, unable to believe what he was seeing. Then, tears welled up in his eyes and he ran forward, throwing his arms around Sabo. He sank into him like a feather pillow under his tired, grateful face, like the world fatigued him and this was the first time he could breathe again. He didn’t just need one of his brothers, he needed them both, and it hit him like a ton of bricks until he was wailing into Sabo’s vest, scrunching it miserably in his hands.
“Hey, you’re okay,” Sabo told him, his arms circling him securely. Now he recognized his crybaby. His heart swelled to hold him again, quiet his tears again.
“You’re in so much trouble,” Luffy’s voice cracked with emotion as he clung to his brother.
“I know,” Sabo replied quietly, eyes welling up again.
“This doesn’t even feel real,” Luffy added.
“I know,” Sabo managed, repeating it because all he could think about was holding Luffy so tight he’d have crushed him if he wasn’t rubber.
When Luffy squeaked, trying so hard to be brave and not cry, Sabo sniffled loudly against him, his gloved hand moving to comfort his hair.
“It’s okay, Luffy, I’m here,” he said lovingly.
Luffy whimpered his next breath, letting go of all the emotion as he sobbed hard, going limp in his arms to let Sabo hold him up.
Feeling like such a kid again.
For all his strength, Luffy was so weak right now to have his brother’s life restored like this, as if nothing bad had ever happened.
Sabo murmured comforting things as Luffy shivered, his own tears streaming down his face to match as he rocked him slowly.
“I got you, Lu,” Sabo soothed him.
Sabo shouldn’t have made eye contact with Ace, because it only made him choke up harder seeing Ace wiping his own tears.
Ace’s instinct was to turn so they couldn’t see him losing composure, but after everything that tried to separate all three of them in this life, he just didn’t give a sh*t anymore. He was too happy right now. Seeing these two alive and well was all Ace ever, ever wanted.
Luffy peeked up to look at Sabo’s eyes, amazed at them.
“Are you blind in that eye?” Luffy asked, looking thoroughly impressed by the burned skin.
“No,” Sabo chuckled, swaying Luffy in his arms.
“But it’s lighter blue than your other eye now.”
“Thanks, I didn’t notice,” Sabo told him dryly, but sent him a warm smile as he pinched at Luffy’s cheek.
“Hey, when did you get so tall, huh?” Sabo teased him this time, embarrassing Luffy, “When did you start working out?”
“Sabo,” Luffy complained loudly, laughing as Sabo poked at his biceps, ruffled his hair and kept irritating him on purpose.
Ace watched from a distance, his heart aching. He wanted to join in, but he held back. Punishing himself even if Luffy wouldn’t.
As Luffy and Sabo finally separated, Luffy’s eyes found him.
“Ace,” Luffy said, his voice trying not to get thick with emotion again.
Ace took a hesitant step forward, then stopped, his guilt weighing him down. “Luffy, I…”
Before he could finish, Luffy crossed the distance between them and pulled Ace into a fierce hug.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Luffy whispered painfully.
“I know you got mad at me,” Ace breathed, holding him so tight that it hurt his own arms. But Ace felt the weight lift from his shoulders because Luffy hugged him back, holding his big brother like he never wanted to let go.
“I got scared,” Luffy said, “You gotta tell me things. Okay?”
“I will,” Ace agreed, his tension starting to unravel the longer Luffy squeezed him.
Luffy pulled back slightly, looking at Ace with a serious expression. His fingers felt the uneven skin on his unclothed back.
Ace held still as Luffy shifted around to look at the scars across Ace’s spine, showing the torture he had endured.
“What did this?” Luffy asked, his thumb swiping it curiously.
Ace and Sabo exchanged looks, neither of them happy. But Sabo gave him a nod, encouraging him to answer.
“It was, um… It was a leather rope,” Ace admitted, “Never seen anything like it before. It sounded like a gunshot but it cut like a blade.”
Luffy’s eyes got round.
“Sugoi,” he breathed, “It hurt?”
Ace laughed, marveling because only Luffy could’ve made him laugh at this.
“No, it was really nice ripping my tattoo in thirds. Yeah Luffy, it hurt.”
“You’ve been through a lot since I saw you last,” Luffy said softly, rubbing his fingers across it like he could make it go away.
“It’s alright, I’d do it all over again for Sabo. He made everything worth it, didn’t he Lu?” Ace said, crossing his arms and deeply meaning the words as he winked across at Sabo.
“Anyway, you haven’t even checked out his back. It’s even cooler. Look. Show him, Sabo.”
Luffy turned to Sabo just as he tugged the shirt and vest over his head and bared his back to him, Luffy’s gaze lingering on the burn scars that marred his pale skin, down his spine and across his shoulder blades.
His youthful eyes widened in awe, taking two steps before rushing to him again.
“Sugoi!” he reacted even louder than he had at Ace’s scars. His palms mapped out the damage the fire had done.
“Sabo, it’s like a big— something with wings! A dragon? Doesn’t it look like that Ace?”
“It does,” Ace confirmed, smiling as he hugged himself.
“Aw, Sabo, it’s so cool…” Luffy complained, taking in the pink shape of burned skin.
Luffy got self-conscious that his back and chest were smooth and unmarked, looking unsatisfied as he ran a hand over his pecs. No mark there, perfect and undamaged.
“Why can’t I have a giant scar like you guys?” Luffy lamented.
“Careful what you wish for,” Ace chided him quietly, “Look, you got plenty. I see Arlong, Kuro, Katakuri… more scars than I can name.”
Luffy examined his own skin like he barely even noticed the marks anymore.
“Yeah, well, you guys still look tougher. But I guess that’s okay cause you’re my older brothers.”
“Oh, we’re allowed to have these scars? Good to know we got your permission,” Sabo told him, tousling his dark hair to make Luffy crack up again.
Then, Luffy noticed Ace getting nosy with the rucksack Luffy set down near the cave’s entrance.
“Oy!” Luffy called, “Not yet.”
Ace lowered the bag with an innocent look.
“Just making sure you brought it.”
“Yeah, it was my idea stupid.”
“Okay, stupid,” Ace mocked in return.
Sabo crossed his arms to eye them both suspiciously, but he didn’t press the matter since they hadn’t told him about it on purpose.
“I guess we should get goin’ then,” Ace added, tossing Luffy his bag, “Unless you want another swim, Sabo? We can take as long as you need.”
“What got into you, Ace, you’re never that nice to me,” Luffy griped, leaping onto his brother’s back like a pet monkey.
“That’s because you’re my little sh*t that I have to be responsible for,” Ace told him, but there was so much love in his voice that Luffy just hugged his neck tighter, leeching onto him like a gangly koala bear.
Sabo bit his thumb, enjoying watching them interact. He couldn’t believe he’d forgotten this, missing them for so long that it put this emotional crater in him that he couldn’t even see. Now it was healed by the sight. His two absolute favorite guys in the whole world.
”Ready?” Ace asked.
“Yeah, think I’m ready,” Sabo agreed, “Wherever it is we’re going, for whatever you planned.”
As they made their way uphill from the waterfall cave, Luffy suddenly veered, eyes fixed on a brightly colored fruit.
“Hey, look at this! Can we eat it?”
Ace sighed, grabbing Luffy by the collar and pulling him back onto the path.
“No, Luffy. Not everything that’s colorful is food. You seriously don’t remember that those make you sick?”
“Even I remember those… ‘Sick Squash’ we named them,” Sabo told Luffy with a note of soft excitement at every memory coming back up.
“Ohh,” Luffy said in ominous recognition, “We used to eat that to get outta house work, didn’t we Ace.”
“Exactly, so maybe you wanna have some self control before you’re too sick to even eat dinner,” Ace chided him.
Luffy’s eyes went round like the threat of that was enough. His stomach growled as if to agree.
“Well, I’m definitely hungry. We’ve been walking forever,” Luffy added.
“It’s been twenty minutes,” Ace corrected with a smirk.
“Forever,” Luffy repeated dramatically.
They climbed over a large fallen tree, Sabo giving Luffy a hand to steady him.
“Everything seemed so much bigger when we were kids,” Sabo told Luffy as he helped him jump down.
“Yeah, you think it got smaller here? Like, the trees shrank?” Luffy asked.
Ace rolled his eyes, he and Sabo breaking into grins side by side now as they walked.
”I’m… guys… I know we’re taller now. I’m kidding,” Luffy insisted, getting his hair ruffled by Sabo and thoroughly enjoying it.
As they walked, they came upon a familiar clearing, their footsteps crunching on the fallen leaves. Sabo looked around curiously, trying to place it.
This part of the mountainside forest seemed completely unchanged. The same towering trees surrounded the open space, and the grass was just as lush and green as it had been years ago.
As they reached the clearing, Sabo’s eyes widened in recognition. The memories of their childhood flooded back, and a smile slowly spread across his face.
“This place…” Sabo began, his voice trailing off.
Luffy nodded enthusiastically.
”Yep! We used to hang out here all the time.”
Ace pulled the backpack from his shoulder.
“And we got something to share with you.”
Sabo raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
Luffy helped him rummage through the bag and pulled out an old sake cup and a bottle of sake.
“Since you’re back, Sabo, we have to renew our bond over sake again,” Luffy explained.
Sabo’s eyes widened in surprise.
“You planned this?”
And Sabo smiled, watching Ace pull two matching sake cups from his own pocket, meeting his look.
“You have mine?” Sabo asked, amazed.
“I almost couldn’t keep it, you know,” Ace admitted to Sabo’s shiny eyes, their fingers grazing as Ace handed it over, “I did want it, but so did Luffy.”
“Said it made him sad, but when I tried to take it he nearly punched me trying to get it out of my hands,” Luffy said, setting his cup down on the stump to focus on the bottle.
Sabo looked down at the shallow vessel, touching it briefly to his lips. The second he had it pressed there, his mind flashed with a vision of Ace pressing his own lips to Sabo’s sake cup, all those years ago. Just for one soft kiss goodbye.
His eyes rounded sadly, looking to see Ace giving him the same look.
But they weren’t here to grieve, now. They were here to celebrate each other.
Luffy poured sake into each cup, his movements deliberate and careful. One for Sabo, one for Ace, and filled one for himself. They stood in a circle, holding their cups up.
“To us,” Ace said simply, a warm smile on his face.
“Yeah, to us,” Luffy echoed, his grin infectious.
Sabo raised his cup.
“To the best brothers anyone could ask for.”
They drank deeply, the sake warm and familiar, soaking in the significance of the moment.
The clearing, the cups, and their bond hadn’t changed a bit, much more significant than the years and challenges they’d all separately faced.
Here on Dawn Island, where no one cared what their titles were, they were just a trio again, and it felt nice to cast the weight off for a little while.
As they climbed the hill further, trees began to thin, revealing patches of open sky. The path grew steeper, the air thin but fresh. Sabo’s steps quickened in anticipation, a sense of homecoming washing over him.
And then, there it was.
Nestled atop the hill, Dadan’s house stood, and sure it was old, but somehow unchanged. The sight of the weather-beaten house brought a lump to every one of their throats.
How much suffering they all endured since they left this wonderful place.
The brothers exchanged a look, their faces breaking into wide smiles.
Home.
Sabo stepped into Dadan’s old house first, floors creaking underfoot as he caught the familiar scent of tobacco.
A wave of nostalgia washed over him, amazed how every corner of Dadan’s house held a memory, a piece of their shared past.
In the living room, Sabo noticed a cracked window pane. He couldn’t help grinning, remembering how Luffy had dived headfirst into the glass while trying to catch a giant insect.
The splintered door frame near the kitchen caught his eye next. The damage from one of their countless wrestling matches where he’d been thrown into the door.
Sabo’s eyes found the small burn hole in one of the sofa cushions. The sight had him hearing Dadan’s gruff voice scolding them for the accidental scorch they made stealing one of her cigarettes.
The walls of the narrow staircase were still scuffed. Each mark caused by their races to the top with the pushing, shoving and laughter that belonged to it.
All memories that made him smile wistfully.
The chaos, the general filth of the place was such a contrast to High Town, but Sabo appreciated Dadan’s home in a more special way than Ace or Luffy. Because he gave up everything for this place and never once looked back, owing to it some of the best times of his childhood.
Of course, then there was Dadan herself.
She grabbed Sabo first, and all he could do was let her squeeze the life out of him. He listened to her warm voice thoroughly gripe at him for getting so tall and staying away so long, for dying and for not ever telling her he survived. For breaking her heart like no one ever broke it before.
She brought Ace and Luffy into the same hug, gathering them up so tight that Sabo and Ace both cried out at the horror that was Luffy’s armpit smell. Luffy had never been happier.
Soon after Ace and Sabo had departed from the ship, it didn’t take long for Luffy’s crew to start mixing in with the Spade Pirates, some trickling to one ship, some trickling to the other.
But it was kind of a big deal when Nami visited the Spadille, and now was as good a time as any, considering the Sunny and Spadille sat not too far from each other off the Dawn Island coast.
Leonero nearly broke the kitchen door in his haste to pull a chair out onto the deck, setting the cleanest, newest chair down proudly in front of Nami.
She took a seat gratefully, grinning and looking up as Cornelia offered her his hand.
“I think I can sit down by myself, but thank you both,” Nami told the men, adjusting her bikini top as they looked on to see if she needed anything else.
“Welcome back, lil’ lady,” Saber said on his approach, grinning when Nami whipped around to give him a stunned glare, pulling her sunglasses down to assess him.
“Get in line, cowboy,” Nami sighed, ignoring him to settle back into her chair.
“What do you boys even do around here all day?”
“We like to have a little shoot-off,” Saber explained, drawing a pistol to twirl it artfully for her.
She frowned, but looked impressed enough.
“Okay, I’m intrigued. Show me the best you got,” Nami relented, tucking her ginger hair behind one ear in the unrelenting sun.
“It it too hot, Nami-san?” Skull asked her, wringing his hands nearby, “A lot of us have kimonos you could borrow.”
“Okay,” Nami agreed, laughing slightly because even Sanji didn’t dote on her this obsessively, “But listen, I only need one, alright? Not like ten of them. I’ll judge your target practice for the honor if it matters that much.”
At least three men halted in the process of removing theirs, shrugging them back on awkwardly.
Saber holstered his gun with a sigh, seeing as he had no kimono to give, but nevertheless went to set up the targets they used along the rail. One was missing, but he wasn’t really surprised.
“Best trick shot wins,” Saber announced, “You losers are just lucky I don’t have a horse in this race. Winner gets to put his personal kimono on this lovely, lovely woman.”
Across the deck, Sanji’s head whipped around in sudden outrage.
“What the hell is going on?”
Chopper was on him immediately, reaching up to block his view.
“He’s talking about Banshee, he’s talking about Banshee!”
Sanji frowned, halting in his tracks as he looked over to where Banshee sat airing out her washed underwear.
“Really?”
”Yes!” Chopper convinced him in a desperate, high-pitched screech, his little hooves pawing to attend to his frown, pushing it into an unwilling smile.
The last thing Chopper wanted was the two crews clashing tempers.
For his trick shot, Cornelia tied up his long, purple hair, then flipped open a mirror and turned his back to the target.
Nami’s lips parted, watching the handsome man aim the pistol over his shoulder, calculating in the mirror before finally pulling the trigger.
“Eh?” Nami couldn’t help but say when it hit the mark, leaning forward in her seat as Cornelia sent her a smug look.
“I think you’ll like mine better, Nami,” Leonero told her with a suave smile, sliding a playing card from his suit jacket.
Nami watched him flick the card with precision, jarring her as it stuck dead-center on the next target board. Then her awe deepened when he clicked his pistol’s hammer back, lined up his shot, then looked directly into her eyes before firing, slicing clean down the card’s hairline width.
Nami slid forward in the seat, hand clapping over her mouth, too openly entertained to remember she was playing ice queen with them.
Leonero and Cornelia exchanged competitive looks.
“Who’s next?” Saber asked, “Kukai? You learn any tricks in Wano Kuni?”
“Not interested,” the kimono-clad gunman said abruptly, not looking up from cleaning his pistols.
Near him, Zoro had abandoned his shirt to take a long nap on the deck, leaned peacefully against warm, purring Kotatsu. The green-haired man was completely for show, unconscious but his muscles rippled beautifully against the fur as he breathed.
Not only that, Kukai admired the scars stretched long and impressive across his tanned chest, and the scar cutting down his left eye that’d also damaged his thick green brow and eyelashes, leaving a slice of them missing as his lashes fluttered slightly in his sleep.
It’s not like Kukai was trying to look, he just happened to notice the same things every rare time Luffy’s swordsman visited. The Straw Hats were always gone too long, so Kukai found it hard not to stare.
“Who’s next then?” Saber continued, snapping impatiently.
“I could throw my hat in the ring,” Mihar volunteered from above, making several of the crew immediately whine.
“Teachie, not fair.”
“Aw, c’mon Teach!”
“Let him shoot,” Nami defended, giving the sniper above a thumbs up.
“You won’t regret it,” Mihar assured her as Cornelia and Leonero groaned at her side.
From the crow’s nest, Mihar leaned out with his rifle, but he wasn’t aiming for the target, but to a point on the lower mast’s metal plating.
“Teachie?” Nami said nervously.
Mihar just smirked, firing to ricochet a bullet off the mast, sparks flying off the curved metal before the projectile blew smack through his target’s center.
“Ohhhh,” Chopper squealed.
“Sugoi,” Nami breathed, floored as she stood from the chair in surprise.
Mihar rested his chin in his hand shyly, winking down at Nami after being flattered by her reaction.
Sanji was already fuming again, held back by Chopper’s antlers as he pressed into him like a ram.
“Huh, I think I could do with a snack, maybe a beverage?” Nami mentioned, fanning her face and sitting back down in the shade.
“Nami-san,” Tallis offered gently, “I could make you something. Name it and I’ll do my best.”
Sanji went beet red at that, breaking free from Chopper to brandish a finger in Tallis’ bewildered face.
“No—! Sanji—!” Chopper squealed.
“You won’t do a damn thing,” Sanji spat, “That’s my job. And that is my Nami-swan.”
But Sanji stopped, frowning suddenly over his shoulder to see an old fishing knife an inch away in the grip of Masked Deuce, his eyes deadly serious behind the leather mask.
Deuce smirked.
“It’s all love, but don’t talk to him that way. Get it?”
To Sanji’s right, another blade glinted. This one was attached to a polearm, and the long weapon was in the hands of a very small man in desert attire.
Finamore leered up at him, making Sanji roll his eyes.
Sure, if it was a legitimate pissing contest, it would be a different story with Sanji’s honed skill against their… normal skill, but it wasn’t about strength or ability here.
He’d grown past settling issues with violence. He was mature now. Fighting is losing, he reminded himself. No way these scrubs could goad him into a fight. That would mean they got under his skin.
Sanji grudgingly held up his hands, taking a couple steps back.
But the way Tallis gave him the smallest smirk had Sanji’s blood pressure shooting up again, facing away just to recover.
Oh… he might have to fight that co*cky Zoan. He might have to teach that new f*cking cook.
“Back up, love,” Tallis told Deuce quietly, yellow eyes boring into the back of Sanji’s skull.
“Why?” Deuce asked, shifting himself back a few steps.
Sanji’s leg erupted, whipping around to find his leg trapped by Tallis’ blocking hand.
And Sanji hadn’t used his full strength to kick, but Tallis hadn’t used his full strength to block either. It was just a test, they both knew, sizing each other up.
Sanji watched Tallis’ hand clench his burning leg unharmed, galvanized by Armament.
“Stop it you guys!” Chopper wailed.
They shook each other off, a similar note of disgust between them.
Sanji’s hands had a tremor, but it was a habitual jitter that had him hastily working a lighter and carton from his suit jacket.
“No smoking here, I’m afraid,” Deuce informed him, sliding into the cook’s view.
Sanji gave him a slightly deranged look from under his eye-obscuring fringe.
“You said what?”
“Vice-Captain said no smoking, nakama,” Mihar repeated, tipping his hat respectfully when Sanji looked at him next.
“New rule?” Sanji asked distastefully, not able to stop himself from glancing at the new crew member, Tallis.
Tallis dipped his head to acknowledge Sanji’s suspicions.
“Can I ask why?” Sanji replied, keeping his tone impressively in check considering his stress level.
“Marmont,” Tallis admitted, chewing on his cheek nervously, “Used to make me smoke with him. After.”
Sanji didn’t know what that meant, but he knew the name, and that alone made his jaw set, nodding as his eyes cast away.
But his eyes fell on Zoro, and was that bastard sleeping? Using feral, flea-bitten Kotatsu for a pillow no less?
No.
No way was he combing Mosshead for fleas later.
“Oy,” Sanji called, absolutely projecting his frustration in the only direction he could.
Zoro’s good eye peeled open from his nap, knowing the exact volume and tone when Sanji wanted his attention no matter what word he used.
“Hnn?” Zoro grunted crankily, legs and ankles crossed for comfort with his shirt off.
Kotatsu looked up too, annoyed that Sanji made his sleeping partner shift.
“Why are you here if you’re napping the whole time, Marimo? Nami’s up to her ears in unwanted male attention. So am I, frankly! You’re letting your own nakama get harassed.”
“Curls, if this is about that new cook, he could fry you up for all I care. Shut up.”
Sanji’s arms folded, weight shifting moodily.
“I should shut up? Okay. You should’ve stayed your ass on the Sunny so no one has to look at you. You’re even distracting Kukai with your disgusting tit* out. He’s trying to work.”
“No one’s looking at me, Curly,” Zoro sighed, “Especially not Ace’s Wano-man.”
But that’s where Zoro was wrong.
Kukai was still cleaning his pistols nearby, but the second Zoro mentioned him, his kimono happened to slide down one shoulder, shyly baring half his toned chest in the older man’s direction.
Then Kukai shook his long hair down, slowly stroking oil down his firearm’s barrel for Zoro to see.
Zoro had to double-take at the phallic gesture before he realized what he was seeing, instantly wishing he hadn’t, his good eye looking away.
Kukai’s dark, exposed nipple seemed to be staring at Zoro too, making the swordsman grumble because there was no way to go back to sleep like this.
The gunman noticed Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitestu and Enma stacked neatly at his side.
“You got something to say?” Zoro murmured.
Kukai wanted to say many things to Zoro.
“Just… if you ever need a fourth sword…” Kukai suggested longingly, taking the chance to wink with femme, kohl-smudged eyes.
Wine-stained lips.
Taking another long, slow stroke of the barrel.
With undisguised horror, Sanji watched Zoro clear his throat, cheekbones tinting pink with embarrassment as he gathered his swords hastily. The swordsman was good at pretending to be unaffected until it came to being propositioned.
“Cook, I think I will head back to the Sunny, on second thought,” Zoro decided breathlessly, “Left my, um, flask there.”
Eh? First Nami, now even Zoro was getting flirted with? Zoro didn’t even know what to do when people flirted, Sanji stewed.
This made Sanji’s offended look alternate from Kukai to Tallis just as the young man slid arms around Deuce’s shoulders with a possessive look. Then watched Mihar slip his kimono off his own muscular shoulders to slide it gently up Nami’s bare arms.
That was his boiling point, eyes flashing like the lid blew off a pressure cooker.
“What is with you people? You can’t treat our crew like ‘Matey’s Match Dating Service’! Where did Ace recruit you all? A f*cking gentleman’s parlor? Male-staffed brothels?”
The Spade Pirates found his multiple outbursts comical already, but Saber chose that moment to lasso Sanji’s belt buckle, whipping the whole belt free from his trousers in front of the entire crew.
They howled and spewed beer, losing all composure as Sanji stood there in steaming, bitter defeat.
It was hard to be angry when he spotted an actual giant hee-hawing, Ossamundo affectionately calling him “funny-man.”
Sanji weakly accepted an apologetic cup of sake from Deuce, toasting to him before downing the whole thing in one go like a man who never needed alcohol more in his life.
It was a huge frustration not to have a lit cigarette between his fingers, but god damn their sake almost made up for it.
Ahiru was glad to miss out on the drama and gunfire causing a ruckus in the Piece of Spadille. She much preferred the beautiful grass, comfy loungers and the unexpectedly pleasant company of the resident archaeologist on the Thousand Sunny.
“For a moment, I was happy to see Ace had finally recruited a cyborg. It’s a shame you can’t stay,” Robin mused, poring over the blueprints Ahiru had stretched out between them.
“So much to do at Baltigo still,” Ahiru replied, “But with Chief spending so much time aboard that pirate ship, I couldn’t help but notice his crew is lacking in, well, this kind of fire power.”
“So you’re outfitting some of the crew with cybernetic enhancements to keep Sabo safer on the Spadille.”
“Precisely,” Ahiru agreed, but her irises whirred, examining Robin’s unique eyes with interest.
“And how did Ace react when you told him your plans?”
“Captain was over the moon at the idea of a cyborg crew,” Ahiru laughed, “I needed blood types for each of his nakama, so he was the first to know besides Chief.”
This intrigued Robin, watching Ahiru’s mechanical irises adjust.
“That so? Franky never mentioned anything like that before.”
“Well, only three of Captain’s crew are candidates for the enhancements designed for myself. They share my blood type so they shouldn’t reject the modifications.”
Robin turned the sheet to read Ahiru’s notes.
“Cornelia, Leonero and Finamore.”
“That’s right,” Ahiru said, trying to sag more comfortably into her lounger to mirror Robin but her posture was too rigid even when she attempted to look more human.
“I haven’t had to design legs until now, but I’ll be able to make any modifications Finamore needs when he adjusts to his new height,” Ahiru explained, settling for sitting up straight.
Robin sat up straighter to match, giving her a covert glance over lowered sunglasses.
“I’m curious how you create working limbs on your first attempts?“
Ahiru’s already bionic eyes went even more vacant. She’d been a child experiment that the army recovered from a government facility. Vegapunk had helped her, built a chip to save her mind. It seemed that the man gave her all the knowledge she needed to rebuild herself. And that’s what she’d done.
“I didn’t mean to put you on the spot,” Robin assured her in that soft calming voice.
Before Robin even thought about it, her disembodied hands were already reaching to caress Ahiru’s shoulders supportively. But Robin waved them away in horror, like it’d been their idea with apologetic eyes.
“I’ve lived a blessed life with the revolutionaries. I appreciate your concern, civill— or— Robin.”
Robin’s eyes smiled just as much as her soft lips, so distracted and drawn in by Ahiru’s haunting stare…
…that she almost didn’t realize one of her projected hands was stroking Ahiru’s cheek with the back of her fingers.
“Ah!” Robin gasped, using her real hand to slap away the unattached one like some naughty, devious thing with its own mind to touch her new friend. Perhaps her hands were only following her sympathy but she didn’t need them acting out every single intrusive thought she had.
Ahiru reacted with innocent confusion, letting Robin laugh it off sheepishly.
The cyborg straightened up her schematics, making Robin remember she was the one who’d asked to see.
Robin let her eyes wander the blueprints, examining detailed weapon schematics. It wasn’t really her area of expertise, this beam-creating technology, but she’d heard enough of Franky’s excited ramblings to make conversation.
“How do you power something like this?” Robin asked gently, her fingertips carefully mapping the advanced drawings.
“My drive core,” Ahiru replied, sliding open a panel to reveal a sparking device inside, “It’s similar to a dial Chief collected for me.”
Ahiru mistakenly thought they were alone, but flinched when her eyes zoomed in fast on a dressed skeleton watching them with binoculars. Her arm powered up with a harsh whine.
“Where do you keep this ‘drive core,’ and is it too late to see it, yo-ho?” the frightening creature laughed across the deck.
Robin giggled, so Ahiru grudgingly relaxed, shutting down her rapidly heating arm.
“This power source is something Franky might be interested in,” Robin told her.
That’s when a loud, “OW!” made Ahiru nearly jump out of her skin, raising her weapon on instinct again.
Man, two beautiful women discussing robotic parts? Franky had never crashed in faster, landing with the most disgusting display of peaco*cking Ahiru ever witnessed.
“Super! Franky!” he announced with a waggling of his hips, posing his BF-37’s proudly.
Ahiru recoiled, pulling her blueprints closer in shock and cringing at his barely covered bulge flopping much too close for comfort as he danced. That tuft of blue happy trail above his package only added to the lewdness.
His enhancements were what Ahiru noticed next, though, too bulky and disproportionate. Maybe he wasn’t necessarily compensating for something, but she still found his arms absolutely egregious. Men were such f*cking size queens, she thought with a roll of her eyes.
“You’ll have to excuse our nakama,” Robin explained softly, sprouting hands around Franky to get his showboating under control.
Her hands even had to pin his mouth shut to muffle, “You can’t stop my super performance, Robin!”
“Did you have something to add, civilian? Or do you just crave attention at all times?” Ahiru asked coldly, but instead of deflating him, it only seemed to deepen his interest.
“Oh it’s both, Officer Ladybot,” Franky assured her suggestively, then snatched one of her designs before she could protest.
Robin gave up on policing him, content to just cover her own mouth so Ahiru wouldn’t see that she found her gross cohort amusing.
“Ohhh,” Franky reacted, biting his lip as he got a little too excited looking at the mech parts Ahiru drew up.
Ahiru reacted with horror when he blushed, suddenly folding her schematics to cover his, um, new problem.
“Eh-heh. Sorry, I think I like your designs,” Franky chuckled sheepishly as Brook chortled beside him.
“You’re keeping that copy,” Ahiru informed him disgustedly, “Don’t even think of handing back that soiled paper.”
“Oh, it’s not so bad,” Franky protested, unfolding it to examine again, “Hey, super salvageable. Look, here? Inject a little cola? Super powerful beams.”
“I don’t want your cola fueling my designs,” Ahiru said, dropping goggles back over her eyes to ignore the lewd cyborg.
“Well, maybe I don’t want your power cells fueling my designs.”
“This from a grown man whose scanties are on backwards?” Ahiru shot back.
Franky only looked pleased by that, peering down at his bulge and roughly tucking the tag back into the seam.
“You looking at my super speedo, bionic woman?”
Ahiru’s lip curled.
“Alright, alright,” Franky relented, unfazed as he gestured at his bulky mech arm.
“You just let Franky know when you need his BF-37’s and he’ll put ‘em to good use for you.”
“That’s a no-go—“
Franky opened his mouth to speak.
“Indefinitely,” Ahiru added sharply, cutting him off.
Robin stifled another laugh.
But they were interrupted by Zoro stalking up from the crew quarters. He surprised everyone by only speaking to the cyborg, not bothering to announce himself or give her any context at all.
“You going back to the Spadille?” Zoro asked Ahiru, not acknowledging anyone else on his quiet mission.
The visiting cyborg hesitated, taken aback to be addressed for the first time by a moody swordsman she’d never even seen before. Too surprised to be offended by his lack of manners or introductions.
“Aye, swordsman,” Ahiru confirmed.
She stood to her feet, eyes zooming and assessing him, including the dark glass bottle he was working free from his green haramaki.
So when he tossed her the bottle, she caught it easily.
“For the Wano-man,” was all Zoro muttered, and before Ahiru could even understand what happened, he was already climbing the crow’s nest.
“What does it mean?” Ahiru asked as Robin peered over her shoulder.
It was a red wine bottle. Most surprisingly, coming from Zoro, it was even unopened.
And over the number six on the label’s printed year, a sun and a crow were drawn in ink, clearly some code whose meaning Ahiru could not decipher.
Robin smiled beside her, resting her chin on the cyborg’s shoulder as she examined the symbols Zoro had inked above the six.
“Any idea?” Ahiru prompted.
“If I am interpreting this correctly… I believe the crow is a location, while the sun shows a time,” Robin translated, “This type of secret meeting system is used in Wano.”
“Why would the swordsman need a secret meeting?” Ahiru wondered.
“Couldn’t say for sure,” Robin stated fairly, “But it’s possible the two crews will be seeing a lot more of each other from here on out. Makes sense for everyone to get to know each other.”
“Ah. A goodwill offering. A meeting between warriors of separate ships to symbolize two groups uniting,” Ahiru summarized confidently, feeling she fully understood the situation now.
Robin only smiled, blushing.
“Yes. I’m sure that’s all it is.”
Marco smirked slightly watching Tallis’ gaze follow Sanji’s every move— and just because Marco knew his type of Zoan, it nearly looked like Tallis was hunting him.
“Not a fan of Sanji, eh?” Marco asked.
“Seems harmless enough,” Tallis tried to say. It wasn’t a crime to be hotheaded, just definitely put him on guard.
They both watched Sanji serve Nami a cup of tea, still aboard the Spadille, but only Tallis averted his eyes as Nami spewed her first sip of tea in disgust.
Sanji only needed one sip from her teacup to understand what happened.
And then his eyes raged.
“Salt? In the sugar dish, Tallis?” Sanji demanded, “You knew I was about to use it.”
The second Marco caught Tallis’ eyes, he knew he was guilty. But Marco only sighed, apologizing to Sanji.
“My fault. I was trying to help, and I guess I didn’t pay attention when I filled it, yoi,” Marco explained gently, and almost immediately Sanji’s anger faded in surprise.
Tallis crumpled, but Sanji seemed too put off to notice, muttering his own short apology and telling Marco it was no big deal.
That left Tallis staring after Sanji in disbelief as he walked away, giving Marco the same look.
“What was that for? You should’ve just let me take the heat. It really was me,” Tallis complained.
“Yes, I know, but he didn’t need to know that,” Marco pointed out patiently.
“These things backfire. More often on people you care about than people you don’t. Because who drank the salt? Nami. And who took responsibility? Someone that wants to see you make friends, not enemies.”
Tallis was aghast.
But Marco wasn’t upset, he even smiled softly at Tallis… and Tallis didn’t feel much like he deserved such understanding, eyes burning and skin flushing red.
“Why don’t you just get mad at me?” Tallis wondered miserably, because that would be so much easier than this guilt.
But the guilt was the point. Getting Tallis to understand how to be a good man was the point.
“Because I used to do sh*t like that all the time,” Marco shrugged, “Eventually, I learned a better way to treat people. Even people that rubbed me the wrong way, like Luffy’s opinionated cook, yoi.”
Tallis shifted, his arms crossing like Marco’s without even realizing it.
“You just figured everything out yourself?”
Marco smiled, eyes crinkling.
“Not even close. I had an adopted father. My first ever captain. Me and the crew called him Oyaji, our Pops. The only one we ever had. There’s nothing wrong with needing a role model to set you right.”
Tallis looked down, mulling over his words heavily in his mind.
He had always yearned for someone to look up to, someone who could guide him and make him feel like he belonged. His eyes got worried, scared how Marco would react, but he asked the question anyway.
“Marco,” Tallis saidbarely above a whisper, “Do you think it would be weird if I… if I called you Oyaji?”
The question hung in the air, heavy with emotion. Marco’s heart skipped a beat, a sting in his eyes. He saw the vulnerable, hopeful expression on Tallis’ face. A reflection of Marco’s younger self, looking up to Oyaji with the same longing for guidance.
Tears welled up in Marco’s eyes, and he placed a hand on Tallis’s shoulder, his touch warm and reassuring.
“No,” Marco said, his voice choked with emotion.
”It wouldn’t be weird at all.”
Tallis’ eyes filled with tears, and he nodded, a smile breaking through his sadness. Marco pulled him into a hug, seeing how much he needed it.
Hell, maybe Marco needed it even more.
Good kid.
Really good kid.
Across the globe, a world away from Spades, Straw Hats and Revolutionaries, there was at least one more wrong being set right…
The World Economy News Paper had made their headquarters in a large airship— a blimp shaped somewhat like a tea kettle with the inscription "WE NEWS."
And this airship held enough partitioned rooms to house none other than Big News Morgans and his journalist staff. An emperor of the underworld and his shady underlings.
And after so many years of trying to get ahold of the man, the myth, the legend: Monkey D. Garp… Morgans couldn’t have been more delighted to hear his voice calling over transponder.
“Vice-Admiral! …Garp the Hero, Garp the Fist, Garp’s the hero the world has missed,” Morgans greeted in an obnoxious sing-song voice, crossing two taloned legs up on his desk.
One of Garp’s biggest fans.
Garp shivered listening to him sing that dreadful tavern song. It was even worse being screeched off-key by an albatross that didn’t even get the lyrics right.
“Is this you finally responding to my interview requests? After all these years?” Morgans asked— and even in his fifties he sounded childishly delighted over transponder with his hero.
“About that…” Garp responded gruffly, “You ran a false story a few issues ago. I’d like it publicly recanted. On the front page.”
The albatross made a hesitant clack with his beak, trilling nervously.
“Ooo, well… My team has already put together next issue’s spread. Not sure they can scrape together an entirely new headline in time. Not to mention a photo.”
But Garp wouldn’t have placed this call without putting preparations in order first.
“You’ll find the article has already been put together. Along with a suitable photo. It’s been faxed to you. Seeing as you’ve provided your contact information to me no less than eighty-two times, I took the liberty of using it.”
Morgans’ eyes wided as his assistant brought a small stack of paper through his office door to lay on his desk.
“Ah. I see,” Morgans replied, “I take it you’re offering me something for doing this for you?”
Garp groaned slightly.
“I’ll do your interview, but I’d like to review it before you publish, seeing as you’ve become more of a weasel than a bird lately.”
Morgans shifted through the papers.
“Who…? Wrote this? It’s exceedingly… decent. And that’s high praise from me, by the way.”
“That photo collected dust in my desk for nigh on fifteen years now, but I can’t take credit for that article. The writer, well… He didn’t demand to be anonymous, but my gut says a man who wears a mask doesn’t wish to be publicly named any more than he wishes to be publicly seen.”
“How mysterious, Garp the Fist… wait, is ‘Mister Fist’ better? Or we could make it rhyme in the article. ‘Mister Fister’!”
“Don’t call me that, son.”
Morgans let out a nervous chuckle.
“Of course. Silly me.”
“Or I’ll hunt you down myself.”
“Mhm!” the albatross squeaked.
“Lucky little sh*ts. Your names have been cleared,” Dadan happily announced to the boys, a little excited to slap down the latest newspaper on the table.
Luffy jumped to his feet, leaning over the front page with his brothers.
Sabo’s mouth was tugged by a smile. He couldn’t help but assume…
“Koala? What, did she strangle Morgans until he changed his colors?”
“Who’s that?” Luffy asked.
“Koko,” Sabo reminded him, smiling at his ‘ohhhhh’ expression.
“Even though it’s something she’d do, this has Jiji written all over it,” Ace informed them, turning the folded papers to the light.
Ace smiled softly at the old photo of the three of them, hanging all over each other with stupid, innocent little grins. If the world wanted to know who they were inside, their purest selves, this was it. And it appeared Garp hadn’t forgotten it either, to have kept this photo safe with him all this time.
It set Ace’s jaw on edge, how much the soft gesture meant to him.
“Ji-san? He didn’t have to do this,” Luffy said, almost bothered to know Garp must’ve had to trade something, pay or sacrifice something for Morgans to publish it.
“No, he sure didn’t,” Ace agreed, lips pressing thin so they wouldn’t tremor.
And Sabo noticed something else about the article too.
“This… article about us says such glowing things. Who would write something this heartfelt? It doesn’t seem like words Jiji would use either. Emotional language. Who even knows us all well enough to write this?”
“I dunno anyone that writes this good,” Luffy shrugged unhelpfully.
“I do,” Ace murmured suspiciously, another smile creeping into his face.
“An adventure originating, not on the shores of Sixis, but the mountains of Dawn Island,” Ace added, noticing the line with a shake of his head and knowing eyes.
“It’s Deu?” Sabo understood.
“Oh! Masky finally got published?” Luffy reacted, grinning over the article with them, “Sugoi… guys, we’re famous now.”
“Says the emperor? Says the king?” Ace laughed.
Says their brother…
The most famous pirate.
