Summary: Modern AU. Any sensible older brother will have done everything to keep their sweet, adorable little brother out of the eyes and ears of any delinquent. But, Ace and Sabo are pushovers, and Luffy has a habit of healing the hearts of troublemakers and criminals and everyone in between. ASL, Straw-hat Nakamaship.
Author's note: This was supposed to be a happy fic but here we are. To be edited later.
Updated: Yay, it's edited!
Any sensible older brother will have done everything to keep their sweet, adorable little brother out of the eyes and ears of any delinquent. Delinquent and danger do start with the letter D, and so are dropouts and detention. But, Ace and Sabo are pushovers, and Luffy has a habit of healing the hearts of troublemakers and criminals and everyone in between.
Luffy is in his last year at elementary when he meets Zoro. Everyone calls Zoro a punk, a street rat, a lost child with nothing but clothes on his back and the swords on his belt. He hung around adults with questionable reputations and dangerous careers. He's bad news.
Not for Luffy apparently.
Ace remembers the story of how they met. Luffy was in the park, there were bullies; Luffy lost his hat, Zoro found it. Zoro offered to walked Luffy home and Luffy excitedly showed his new friend to Ace.
Ace isn't a stranger to Zoro's reputation. Nor is Sabo. He's heard of what Zoro has done and what he is capable of doing. Ace knows the blade on his belt isn't for show, knows the origin of the scar on his right eye. How couldn't he when the stories are everywhere - on the posters around the street and in the whispers at betting pools. He's a monster, they say, He's killed or crippled every fighter that he comes across in the ring.
But, then here he is, showing a foreign tenderness to a child who is a stranger to him.
Ace doesn't know if he should be in awe or alarmed in this situation.
Despite Ace's concern and Sabo's ire, Luffy and Zoro became friends that day. Whether its one-sided or consensual, Ace doesn't know. But, whenever Luffy comes to the park to play, the bullies are nowhere in sight. Zoro, however, is always at arm's length, even if Luffy doesn't see him.
Nami's name has gone through an extensive evolution of meanings. At first, her name meant waves since she was found by her adopted mother at the beach. Then, her name meant 'cat', courtesy of the curiosity that she showed around books and maps and weather. After her adoptive mother died, her name became synonymous with 'pity', 'unwanted', 'greedy', 'thief', 'bitch.'
Then, she tries to steal Luffy's wallet and all those meanings are thrown out of the window.
Compared to Zoro, who just goes to the flow of things, Nami is fixated on the past. Every once in a while she comes back to her old rendezvous spot, either to return with a wad full of cash or bruises on her delicate face. Sometimes she snaps at Luffy for pitying her, but she always comes back to him with tears of regret and a string of apologies.
Luffy never fails to greet her in the warmth of his embrace, though.
Once during dinner, Sabo asks how Nami is doing. Luffy says she'll be going to rehab for her kleptomania and promises to come out as a better person.
Three months later, Nami is there to congratulate Luffy on his graduation from middle school.
The scar of her past is covered by a bright blue tattoo of her future.
Things are so much simpler with Sanji. He's a runaway, he's tired, he's hungry. And then he meets Luffy.
Sabo isn't surprised anymore when he comes home to see a starving boy eating like a dog on their kitchen table. When it comes to Luffy, the older brothers are already familiar with the pattern of things. So, when Sanji sees him and freezes like a deer at headlights, Sabo asks if Sanji wants water.
Thanks to Luffy's pleading, Sanji gets to stay with them for a while. With each passing day, Sabo notices the jutting curves of Sanji's spine, the scar that littered across his torso, and that little bald spot on his head. If Sanji's account is true and the boy ran away from home three days ago, Sanji shouldn't be a bag of skin and bones.
When Sabo tries to bring the matter to Luffy, his litter brother says he already knows - the story of each scar, each jutting bone, each bruise, from the very beginning, he knew.
Ah, perhaps Sanji isn't simpler than Sabo once thought he is.
There are court cases and police involvement. A month later, Sanji's uncle comes to their house to take the child home. Sanji finally leaves their house, but not before sneaking a peck on Luffy's cheeks and promising to check on him as much as he can.
Sanji doesn't come back (none of Luffy's weird friends do), but he does send a postcard every month or two. Sabo sees the fat cheeks and the healthy glow in the boy, and perhaps, Sabo releases a sigh that he's been holding on for so long.
Out of all Luffy's weird friends, Sabo probably likes Usopp the least.
The source of his ire is not the man's line of work, or his touchy relationship with Luffy, or his nonchalant and 'no attachment, no commitment' rule, or his ridiculously long nose. Rather, Sabo just doesn't like liars. He has a long history of liars in his (previous family), and he doesn't want to be involved with one anymore, thank you very much.
But, Usopp is Luffy's friend. So, he has to be there for the both of them, whether he likes it or not.
Usopp's line of work is almost similar to Nami's, in fact. However, he doesn't outright steal; he just dupes you into believing in one of his 'inventions.' And probably it's because of that nature that Usopp is always in danger, always in the run, from the people who want their money back.
Luffy tries to protect him, though. Tries. Sabo always comes home to find Luffy in clumsily applied band-aids and blossoming bruises on his skin. It's infuriating to know that Luffy is the only one who gets injured.
But, it's more infuriating to know that Usopp looks like he doesn't care.
One day, Usopp disappears. No warnings, no goodbyes. Sabo thinks that it's about time. After all, he's quickly running out of corners and crevices to hide in any longer. Luffy doesn't take the news well, but it's all for the best. Luffy doesn't get into fights anymore and he can now solely focus on his education.
Although they never see Usopp again, Sabo hears a story of a scam artist who turned himself in. For what reason, well, Sabo refuses to think it's connected to his dear little brother. He just doesn't want to admit that he has a bad judge of character.
It is a bad time between the brothers when Luffy meets Robin.
Sabo's project-based job had come to a close, Ace is jobless after his previous company had filed for bankruptcy. They are barely filling food in the fridge, the bills are overdue, and their heater is down for the count on the upcoming winter. And to top it all off, Luffy has been called in for his bad grades.
If Sabo is particular about Luffy's well-being, Ace is focused on Luffy's education. He muses that it roots to his insecurity, as he never had the chance to go to college. He had been busy trying to fund Sabo's education, although he could only save just enough for a community college. Maybe it is this insecurity that caused him to lash out, to call him an idiot and stupid and utterly fucking useless when he never meant those words. And never will be.
He sends Luffy to his room and Sabo argues with him. When he finally calms down and realizes his mistake, Luffy is not in his room. He's gone.
Ace remembers how all of his pent-up guilt, self-loathing, and insecurities just rushing out of its Pandora's Box. He sees the flashes of dreadful imagination that his mind kept showing: Luffy in a ditch, Luffy in a canal, Luffy face-down on the ground with unmoving limbs and still breath.
Then, someone comes knocking on the door.
Ace almost slams the door when he sees a hooker in front of their door. Ace is not a pervert, nor is he desperate for sex. But then someone shifts behind her, all clothed in a layer of thick coat and snot.
Luffy.
Never has he and Sabo hug their little brother this tight, this desperately. Ace says all the words of apologies ("I'm sorry Lu, I'm sorry. I swear to god I never meant those words; you're so important to me, please don't leave me again,") while Luffy responds with words of forgiveness ("Ace, Sabo, I'm sorry, I'll never leave you, I won't do it again!").
After their reunion is done and their feud is buried, Luffy introduces Robin. Ace doesn't understand why Luffy wants this hooker to be his math teacher or why his brother knows the red-light district. But, with the way Luffy boasts her intelligence and kind heart, Ace already knows where she stands -
- next to Luffy, who's wearing a black toga and square cap for his high school graduation.
Ace takes a second job to finance Luffy's college tuition fee. But, unlike last time, Sabo is here to help him with the finances.
During the day, Ace works at the post office, sorting thousands of envelopes and making sure that his co-works don't fuck up fragile packages. At night, he spends at least five hours in construction, hammering nails on high scaffolding.
Because of this arrangement, he and Sabo are spending less time with Luffy at night. He knows that family dinner is a small price to pay for Luffy's education, but the thought that Luffy eating dinner alone doesn't sit well to his stomach.
Ace misses his brothers - their dinner dates, the cuddles, the laughter. Instead of reveling in the absence of his brothers, he uses this feeling to keep him going. He tries to imagine the smiles on his brothers' faces when he finally gets that wad of cash from payday. They'll be able to buy a new heater, Ace thinks. Luffy will get more food, he muses.
That day, he probably shouldn't have thought so much of his brothers. The next thing he knows, he had already slipped from the scaffolding and fell straight through a metal pipe.
The events that come next is a blur, but he remembers the screams of panic and worry of his co-workers as they drove him to the hospital. While he couldn't raise his head to view the damage, he can feel a warm liquid that trickles across his torso and a gaping hole that shouldn't be there. He can smell the distant scent of iodoform as his brothers try to fight against a man who told him that he can't enter the hospital because they have no money.
At this point, Ace wishes he isn't so pathetic to have met such a gruesome fate.
When he comes to, he is immediately hit by strong odors of rubbing alcohol, car smell, and iron. His body feels numb and wobbly and his breaths are regulated by a plastic mask on his face; when tries breathing, it sort of hurts. As his eyes grow accustomed to the bright lights over him, he peers forward to see his toes and a rusty footboard, as well as translucent curtains with shadows across its plane.
There are sounds that are thrown back and forth, but it takes Ace a few moments before he can actually decipher what they're saying (" - 's going to be fine, but he'll need to spend some time here, and don't dare reach into your pockets, son. We don't charge anyone who gets admitted here -")
The curtains on his left shifts and Ace slowly turns his head to see the source of the sound (luckily, his neck also feels a bit stiff, like the time when he fell asleep for a whole 24 hours). He almost jumps from the bed, which hurt a lot, when he sees a large man with tufts of brown hair sticking out from his face and arms. The stranger horribly reminds him of Zoro, all scowls and glares, but the stranger lets a soft smile of relief when he sees Ace awake. The stranger walks out of the curtains to join the shadows.
Behind the curtains, there are cheers and cries and reprimands and reminders. Soon, the curtain opens and, oh my god, there they are, his brothers, with puffy eyes and running snot; just seeing the heartbreaking happiness in their eyes is enough to make him tear.
Sabo takes hold of his cold hands and Luffy wipes the tear on his cheek. They explain everything, from the accident to the hospital to underground medic bay, where Luffy's friend Chopper had rushed him in. Ace guesses that he almost flatlined - he knows, he can see it in Sabo's eyes - but here he is, still breathing, still kicking, still not his father. He makes a silent promise to be more careful next time; what kept him alive is dumb luck, and it's quickly running out.
When the hairy stranger comes back again with an older lady, Dr. Kureha is her name, which he learns later, Luffy jumps to hug the stranger. Luffy is so alarmingly small compared to the man's height, but the stranger gently scoops his little brother and gives him a nuzzle ("Oh, thank you, thank you Chopper! You saved my brother!")
Chopper blushes and tells Luffy that he's not flattered at all. But Chopper truly deserves the praise; without him, Ace will never see his brothers ever again.
Between the brothers, it is Sabo who meets Franky first. It's a cold summer night, the road along the mountains is clear. There is a biker gang and they're drinking soda. It's all enough reason for Sabo to bash Franky's head on the ground.
Only Ace knows about Sabo's extremely turbulent past of violence. Luffy probably knows, but Sabo isn't ready to tell his adorable little brother his tales of breaking arms and dislocating legs. Since meeting Luffy, Sabo has turned a new leaf. There shouldn't be any reason to reminiscence his troubled past unless his extremely drunk or in the mood for self-loathing.
But, he's sober right now and he's happy that Luffy's next to him, so why is he here, in a bicycle repair shop owned by Franky?
At the back of his mind, he regrets buying his little brother a bicycle for his commute to the university.
From the counter, Franky looks at him with uneasy eyes, as if he's not sure to greet Sabo as a customer or to take revenge for the metal nose that Sabo forcefully gave to him. But then that all changes when he sees Luffy. The way Franky screams 'SUUUUUUUPER GOOD MORNING' and holds Luffy high in the air almost makes Sabo feel like he's not here at all.
Sabo almost goes deaf when Franky and Luffy start chatting to catch up for the last time. They talk about school and soda to robots and pirate ships. Their conversation seems to be running on an endless amount of topics, so Sabo coughs to catch the attention of his brother. It catches his little brother's attention - and Franky's, much to Sabo's dismay. Franky returns a cold and calculating gaze at Sabo as he wounds a protective arm around Luffy.
("Little dude, who's this uncool man?" "Oh, this is Sabo, he's my older brother!")
The disbelief on Franky's face is absolutely priceless. He doesn't even feign a grin when his little brother returns to the confinements of his arms. Luffy is his little brother, and some bike company-owner with a metal nose won't change that. Franky glares in distaste. Sabo glares back. It is only when Luffy boops Franky's nose when they turn to the purpose of this visit: Luffy's bike.
While Franky hates his guts, Sabo appreciates that he's willing to be civil with Luffy around. And that, perhaps, is one that thing that Sabo may respect Franky for.
If Sabo likes Usopp the least, then he likes Brook the best. But then again, if someone asks Ace about this, Ace will only answer that Sabo likes Brook's dog, not Brook himself.
Pfft. As if.
Well, maybe a little.
It's the end of Luffy's final term in university when Sabo receives a text from Ace. Luffy made another friend again, it says. Knowing all their previous experiences with Luffy's friends, Sabo knows what to expect. He prepares a table for four, he rolls out an extra mattress (never used since Sanji left) and adds a roll of toilet paper in the shopping list. When Ace and Luffy arrive with their visitor, Sabo is immediately greeted by a small bundle of joy with a scar on his face.
Brook says his name is Laboon. Sabo instantly fell in love.
During dinner, Brook reveals that he's actually a traveling musician, going from town to town to bring the joy of music to people's hearts - or perhaps that's what he said if Sabo is paying attention to the story. All this time, Sabo is watching his little brother sneak scraps of food for Laboon, resisting to coo in awe at the sight. Ace kicks his shin and whispers at him to pay attention, but Brook doesn't seem to mind at all. As his show of thanks, Brook plays his violin after dinner, which, in Sabo's opinion, is heaven's orchestra of angels.
Sabo wishes that Brook is doing well in his mission to spread happiness. But, the glow of his skin and wobble of his joints are foreboding of something that Sabo doesn't want to see. Ace sees it, too. He was in that situation before.
Luffy sees it, just days before Brook leaves the town for the next. Sabo's little brother begs for Brook not to go, not to leave him like the rest ("You can stay here with us, with Laboon!"). But, Brook only smiles and pats Luffy on the head ("Your kindness knows no bounds, and I am so happy that I met someone like you."). He tucks Luffy's hand-drawn poster of Brook's would-to-be first concert ("Soul King! You're going to be Soul King!") in his breast pocket and picks his violin case. He gives one last glance at the three of them, at Luffy, and leaves.
Without Laboon.
The dog whines and scratches on their apartment door for days, but Brook is already long gone. Laboon probably thinks that he is abandoned, unwanted - and that may have been the cause of the dog's aggressive temperament for some months - but Brook had done the kindest deed of all.
Months later, Brook is still fresh in Laboon's mind. Sabo can see it when he takes Laboon for a walk or when the dog mistakes a bag for a violin case. And while Laboon may not be as happy as he is with Brook, Luffy tries his very best to bring Brook's memory in each day of their lives.
Their neighbor knocks on their door to complain about the violin music that they play before going to bed. Laboon lets him leave with torn pants.