Chapter Text
Sworn brothers are brothers all the same.
To these words, they forge a forever bond, one that becomes tucked away until the climatic day it is unraveled. When it comes out to the World over, it shakes its very core. Through laughter and mischief, through knee-scrapes and cuts upon the face, these three ruckus-causing children show even the toughest of adults that they will not let the impossible stop them.
They are not afraid of the unknown, at least they try not to be. It’s really cool and exciting and far better than being stuck in awfully dreadful learning, or being shackled by fates they absolutely do not want.
They piece together a place for themselves in this very confusing sea, defying the commandants around them, and everything is way more fun once they do it. No judgement, not in the mean way, just three young boys tied together by a newly made destiny, and fueled by dreams.
They’ll look out upon the ocean, eyes alighted, and swear, swear upon the bottom of their hearts that they’ll each set sail at seventeen, and become pirates.
To find a meaningful life, to write an adventurous book, to become an ultimate king.
Even if the World spits in their faces, they’ll be each other’s allies. Each other’s family.
It’s just Ace and Sabo at first. For five years strong they steal, save, and wish to have enough one day to get a pirate ship of their own. Then they can leave this little island and finally taste the different sea breezes. Ace doesn’t question why Sabo lives in the Gray Terminal. Plenty of people live there, for many reasons. Sabo even asks Ace to consider living there with him. They’re friends, best friends. Nothing’s going to change that.
“Think you’ll be able to navigate it?” whispers Ace as he crosses his arms, and gives a small look to Sabo. It’s a way to pass time while they’re hiding out like this.
“I haven’t been wasting my time alone, Ace!” Sabo nods, “This is something I like studying!” They’ll have to put practice to use at some point, but for now they think and discuss and run!
“Man, you beat me again!”
“So? We’re saving up together!”
Then, along comes Luffy, another poor kid that Grandpa Garp lops off on old Dadan while he’s off on Marine Duty. Like a little chick, Luffy latches onto Ace, and Ace tries, tries so hard to get rid of him. A kick here, a dash there, get lost, stay home, mind your own business, he spits. This is his space, his and Sabo’s, why should he babysit some brat? Why should this kid try to barge in on his and Sabo’s plans? Not mad at me? For all that? …Friends?
“Pirates? You guys wanna be pirates? I do too!”
“He knows our secret. We gotta kill him.”
“Yeah!”
Yet, all that naïve toughness falls apart when danger falls before them, and some dumb pirates that they don’t want to be like take Luffy captive. Try as they might to just move on, they can’t, and Ace and Sabo are there to get him out of there. It was because of their thievery that he was targeted…
Why does he keep chasing me around? Why— “Why didn’t you rat me out?”
“You’re—!” Luffy sniffles and clings, “All I have!”
“You… You need me?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you… want me to be alive?”
“Huh? Of course I do!!”
He’s stupid, but loyal, even to those that reject him, because he’s decided that he likes them. He must be a whole heap of trouble, but he’s their trouble now.
Ace and Sabo pull on Luffy’s cheeks and see that he stretches more than normal.
“Well, he’ll be interesting,” Sabo whispers.
The three of them become locked together soon after that. Because of that mess, Sabo ends up moving in with them, much to Dadan’s dismay, seeing another brat in her midst, but it just solidifies to the trio that this is how things are meant to be. So to chores and play and work they continue! They may end up getting really rough training, of their own choice and otherwise, but they’re getting stronger and stronger, so that they can be amazingly powerful pirates who can become known worldwide!
When they find out that Sabo is the son of a noble, they don’t care. They forced him to talk about it, but it’s a big ‘So what?’ To them, he’s not like all those people in town; he’s Sabo, their friend. Their brother.
“I want to see the world and write a book! Let’s get stronger and be free!” Sabo is certain in his words.
“Ha, that was the plan! I’ll go out and win! I’ll prove my life’s worth something!” Ace gleams.
“Well,” Luffy looks straight ahead, “I’m gonna be the Pirate King!”
“Whoa, I can’t believe you actually said that…” Ace stares right at Luffy, seeing that dumb, confident smile plastered on his face. A dream right from the heart, rooted in every declaration to be stronger.
“Haha, you’re so funny, Luffy! I can’t wait to see what you’ll be like when we grow up!”
And with this declaration, they drink sake they stole from Dadan, swearing forever with these sips that they are indeed family. They may not share blood, but they have more than blood alone – experiences and care. They may all want to be captains; their futures will be decided when they get there, they decide. For now, they’ll get even stronger, so that they can make it!
They also feast upon their catches and spoils the day after! Jumping right into it, they eat and they eat and boy can Ace and Luffy eat! Sabo watches, heart fuller than his stomach, as his dear brothers swipe and pack down more than a single man’s meal. He beams, ever bright, because he’s long decided that it’s them he’d do anything for, not the ones whose blood runs through his veins.
Ace begins to doze off in the middle of eating, despite there clearly being food before him, and Luffy takes the opportunity to try and snatch away a large piece of meat. The elder is jolted awake by the younger’s rubber arm flopping awkwardly, still not yet perfected on his reach.
“Man, your ability is still lame!”
“It is not!”
The two tussle a bit, only to be stopped by Sabo’s quick mediation, which, in this case, is simply taking to stealing the spotlight by swiping some of the other food that’s in front of them. He likes this though, helping them out, knowing there’s genuine attachment in each action. Even these fights never last. It’s just so… so… wonderful! Being with them, exploring with them, making each and every corner they can reach with their little hands a part of their kingdom.
Sabo crosses his legs afterwards, looking between Ace and Luffy. “Stars are supposed to be great for navigation,” he says and, soon, he’s staring up at the sky through the break in the trees.
“That’s what those books—” Ace starts, stopping only to chew a bit more, “you grabbed say, right?”
“Did they?” Luffy butts in between bites of his own, “I just looked at the pictures.”
“We know that!” Ace jects back, “You drew poorly in them too.”
“Haha, I think Luffy added a lot to them!” Sabo says, and Luffy laughs proudly. See, he added himself, Ace, and Sabo on a ship! Even if the crew of his own he’s looking for might not end up being them, even if he’s asked them, it is fun to think about. “I’ll read you some of the stories you like later, Luffy,” Sabo adds, and the younger’s eyes light up instantly. “But, anyway, I think I like the sun better! It’s a lot warmer, and a lot brighter. Isn’t it super bright with life?”
“Life?”
“Yeah! All the stars are hopes. All the faraway islands can see the same ones too. But the sun’s the biggest star. It’s the coolest one!”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it!” Ace looks up, “and everyone knows the sun’s name, yeah?”
“Mmhmm! It’s got a name everywhere!”
Luffy tilts his head. What he’s getting from this is that Ace and Sabo are really happy, and that – yeah – the sun is really cool! “I like the sun too!”
Ideas cross and swears are made, deeper and deeper. Ace, who hasn’t been sure of himself in the past, has learned that he can make it, day by day, thanks to these guys. Hearing this, about the sun, that big fireball that all know about. He’s right. It’s really inviting.
Can he be fiery and individual and known, just like it?
Thanks, Sabo, he thinks, as Luffy throws his hands up and breathes out and then falls right over against Ace, quickly asleep, snoring away.
“You take him.”
“Eh? Let’s not move him.”
“He’s heavy.”
“Bet he thinks you’re warm and comfy.”
Ace frowns, ticking, debating just pushing Luffy right on over and off, but in the end Luffy gets to stay right where he is. For the time being. What’s the hurt, he supposes, as long as they’re not going to get jumped or something really annoying like that.
No one’s going to take this from him. Not yet.
So, things continue just like that, into yet another day. They really have to make the most of them, because they aren’t going to be on this island forever, and they surely have to get everything together sooner than later. It’s a matter of time, of course, before the years pass and the promised age comes.
It’s on another clear day, not long at all after the last, that Luffy has a crystal idea, it suddenly hitting him. Being him, he’ll not hold it in! They’re going to be pirates, pirates! How could they have had a feast without one of the most important parts?
“If we’re gonna be pirates, we’re gonna have to know how to sing!” He announces, sitting up and placing his hands on his ankles, looking at Ace and Sabo with all the seriousness he can muster.
“Sing?”
Blinking, exchanged glances, and it all leads to Luffy grinning, widely, and nodding rapidly, “A song every pirate should know! Shanks and his crew sang it lots!”
He then proceeds to sing an awkward, probably slightly-off melody rendition of an old sea shanty, one known so widely as Binks’ Sake. Not that any of them would know that title though. “Yohohoho~yohohoho~”
“…!”
The other two both start laughing, almost to tears in Ace’s case, “You singing it barely makes it sound like a song!”
“That’s ‘cause we don’t have a musician! When I’m a pirate, I’m gonna have a musician on my ship, one of the best! It’s really, really important!”
“Hahaha, I like that idea! We’ll have to make do now, if we want to really learn the song!”
“Yeah, Sabo gets it!”
Any anger and dissonance fade out to their daily adventures of plundering and strengthening. Luffy, pleased, shares little stories about Shanks and his crew, how they’re really cool pirates, how one his members has a kid around his age, how fun it is now. Even talk melds back into song, though.
Later that evening, they even manage to figure out a closer melody and sing it together in their treehouse. The noise causes a shout to tell them to quiet down, but why should they listen? They just keep going, until they’re completely tuckered out! Sweet and sound and completely tuckered out, they fall asleep all sprawled out against each other.
Sure, Ace might wake up with Luffy’s hand almost in his mouth, and he might just bite down into that rubber for revenge. Sure, Sabo might find Luffy’s legs over his stomach, but that’s just fine. Close quarters just mean a lively tomorrow! That’s just how these brothers live.
Even if they end up part of different crews, which might just be inevitable since they won’t be turning seventeen at the same time, they’ll still have their memories. The feelings of shock waves through their skin and bones as they spar, the hunts and the dining and dashing, all add up, forever and ever!
They promise, they’ll definitely still see each other. The ocean may be big, but they can’t miss each other. They’re too noisy, too familiar, too connected.
Oh, joy to these days, where they can panel over and over on them like a highlight reel. Why, why can’t they last? Why do they feel like they’re slipping away?
Why… does it get torn away from them so fast?
It is revealed, once more, that so much is against their odds. Some might curse they’re bloodlines, pin it all on them, but maybe everything really just wants to test their metal, their resolve. Sabo gets taken away, to go back to his real family, or something. But Ace and Luffy both know that it won’t make Sabo happy, because they’re his family, so Ace punched back. Sabo… however, parlayed for their lives, and accepted his fate. Going back to being alone, that’s no fair!
Ace and Luffy pick up those dumb pirate boxes and try, try really hard to forget Sabo. Even though it’s impossible.
Things don’t get easier.
Fire circles them, and it’s terrifying. Those bad pirates come and force them to reveal their treasure, and they even go as far as to bundle Sabo in with the rest of the nobles, who set the fires, to burn what they called tries. Luffy fights them, tries to resist giving away the location, because it’s Ace’s and Sabo’s, and it should stay with them, but it doesn’t do much. Not at all.
He’s still weak!
Ace gives in, because Sabo would understand. He’s not here, but he’d rather his brothers have their lives than some money they can make back one day. There’s no coming back from the dead, unless there’s some weird magic involved. They can’t die here, not when they haven’t even gotten close to freedom.
Shouting, in comes Dadan and family, and Luffy is safe. But Ace keeps his feet firm, and his back to his retreating brother and the others. He won’t run away. He’s already sworn that, since long ago, but this time, and last time too, there’s something behind him that he has to guard.
He can’t lose what’s important.
In the end, Old Dadan’s alive too, and they both make it back. Luffy is sobbing, so much, jumping and gripping onto Ace from a distance with those rubber arms of his, and he almost smacks him in the face from his hurry. Still a kid. Still three years younger. He’ll cry less when he’s older, he says, but Ace doesn’t believe that.
The news hits them: Sabo is dead. He tried to set sail, and he was shot down before he even left the port.
“It’s because of Sabo, because of, of--” Ace can’t even manage his words properly as he kicks, while being held back. Because of Sabo that I wanted to live!
More and more Luffy can’t hold back. He sits on the cliff they shouted their dreams on, so near where they made their brotherly pact, and looks out at the clear ocean. It’s so pretty, so free, surely… Sabo made it out there? Surely it’s all a lie!
“See, y-you’re right here, Sabo! You can tell me all about the stars and your adventures with Ace before I got here and – waahh!!”
A letter comes for Ace and he reads it, and he cries and cries. Sure, he told Luffy not to cry anymore, because men aren’t supposed to be so weak that they cry like this! But the tears just won’t stop falling! Why did he try to forget him? When he knew that he couldn’t? When in the end, this happened?
He wanted Sabo to be his navigator! Hell, he just wants Sabo here, right here!
Why, why does the World continue to spite him?
Hey, Ace. Sorry I’m setting out on the seas early. Let’s meet again! So, could you take care of Luffy for me for the time being? I know he’s lots of trouble. He’s still really weak, and a big crybaby, but he has you.
Our bond… is my greatest treasure! We’ll always be brothers!
Quietly, quieter than normal, he walks over to where Luffy is. Luffy tries his best to swallow back his tears and pull out his pride show how happy he is that Ace is alive! But these waterworks are for the sorrow, relief, and fear he feels so the rivers overflow and the ocean-sized flood commences.
“How long are you gonna stay like that, Luffy?”
“A-Ace!!” Luffy sobs, grabbing Ace’s legs, “You’re not gonna die too, are you? Don’t die!”
Ace reaches down and pulls Luffy up and close, putting his other hand on his head for a moment, “Of course I’m not gonna die. Sabo told me to take care of you. I can’t leave my dumb, crybaby little brother alone.” Promise.
“Sabo was taken from us before he found freedom, so we gotta find it for him. We have to live a life without regrets!”
Luffy continues to cry, right against Ace, but even those falls will come to calm. They are strong. They can’t let the World know that it’s beat them this time. Even if it’s all difficult, even if getting around without Sabo isn’t easy at first, they can manage. Even if they still think they hear his voice, even if they fight it out and look to where he would have been and realize only seconds later… they can’t just give up! They’ll keep working, until they’re powerful enough to make an impact, and then their names will be heard!
They’ll achieve their dreams, so Sabo can be triple proud of them.
“Rubber really isn’t useful for battle.”
“I’ll make it useful! I really am gonna be the Pirate King, Ace!”
In order to affirm his vows, to protect those that that are important, especially this kid brother of his, Ace sets to respecting those that have done so. He’ll ask Makino to teach him how to introduce himself right, and he’ll thank that guy Luffy talks about, Shanks, since Shanks is the reason he met Luffy.
“Hey, Ace, read this to me.”
“Read it yourself.”
“I can’t.”
“Sabo really spoiled you.”
“That’s ‘cuz he was nice!”
Luffy frowns, and shoves the book at Ace anyway. “It’s not the same as the rest, I think.”
“How would you even know?!” Ace snaps, but his attention jumps to the open page of the book. “Give that to me.” He commands, yanking it away, anyway, and pouring over it.
The world is vast, and the freest place it has is the ocean. It’s big and wonderful and it can’t keep its grip on every place. I want to see every corner. I want to be out there.
Even if the world is cruel, even if the blood it gave me is bad, it still gave me something good. It let me meet them. It let us become brothers. This is the book Luffy drew the most in, the one I took lots of notes in, the one I had us all sign.
I don’t want to forget that. I want the world to know that. I’m grateful for my brothers. They’re the best! So I’m writing it down, because I’m free to do so.
“Ace?” Luffy says, poking Ace on the cheek, “You gonna read it to me?”
“Nope.”
Ace closes the book and looks out, past the edge of the sea, to where the sun meets it.
Until the day they set sail on their own, they’ll keep Sabo in their hearts, their dreams on their minds, and the sun bright above them.
Light breaks through the clouds in the skies, allied by their calls. These become their wills, and these are so strong, that it causes another to wake, saved by another, the father of one dear, but he doesn’t know that. He doesn’t know, doesn’t recall anything. Only that he wanted to leave that island. That he couldn’t go back to the man he was the son of.
Thus the young boy attacked at sea is reunited with life, and he stares up curiously to the light, and wonders why it’s making him so happy, yet so sad at the same time.
“Sabo.”
“Right, I know I oughta be careful right now. I just like being able to see the sea for myself. It’s good weather today.”
The man looms, and nods.
These brothers, through sheer dreams alone, shall find themselves adrift atop the ocean’s waves. In their wake, they’ll give the very world that encases them strife. That’s just who they are.
Aligned all the same, Ace, Sabo, and Luffy, they’re all such troublesome brothers.