A/N: So, I'm working on 3 AU epics at the moment and decided I needed something to play with while I flesh those completely out. This is going to be a rather long collection of ASL feels, told from different perspectives and set in the canon One Piece continuity. The vast majority of the chapters for now will focus on their childhood, but I plan to continue well up to the current arc. (Dressrosa feels!)

No pairings, but I might put in hints of Shanks/Makino xD

Dedicated to my own chosen sister, Ascaisil, who also helps beta read for me. Love you, Neechan ^_^

I don't own One Piece. Praise be to Oda.

Kyoudai = Brother (Can be used collectively to refer to siblings, but is more commonly used for brothers)

Otouto = Younger Brother

Chapter 1: Kyoudai

Kyoudai.

It wasn't a word he'd used often. Maybe not ever. It was certainly not a word he'd thought would ever apply to himself.

He repeated it in his mind, sounding it out while a small smile played on his lips. His eyes flickered to the other two boys, both of whom had fallen asleep shortly after their bath. It wasn't very surprising for Luffy to do so since the water always drained him of his energy, but Ace was another matter. Then again, Dadan had also chased Ace around for a while after finding out he'd stolen some of her sake, so it wasn't much of a surprise to see him falling asleep so early.

They were both sprawled on their mats with similar positions, arms splayed and mouths open. Sabo had to resist the urge to chuckle at the way Luffy's infectious smile remained in place while he snored, while Ace's normally guarded face seemed relaxed for once.

The young blonde boy shifted onto his own mat, grateful one had been provided for him. As much grief as their caretaker seemed to give them for being a burden, she had still made sure they had what they couldn't procure for themselves. Honestly, he found it funny to watch her get worked up by their antics. Like teasing Luffy to get him worked up, it was endearing.

"Ace," Luffy mumbled, smile widening in his sleep. "Sabo…"

Sabo turned onto his stomach to look at Luffy, eyes bright. The younger boy's messy black hair was fluffy from being washed, and one of his small hands was outstretched near Sabo's face from the way their mats were arranged. He couldn't help but bring his own hand closer, experimentally reaching out to hold it. Family held hands, right? Even if just for appearances, he'd seen plenty of nobles holding hands with their children or siblings before. He'd never done it unless being guided, and the hands that had latched onto his were always cold.

It was surprising just how warm Luffy's hand felt in his. His skin didn't feel much different from anyone else's, though Sabo knew if he poked or prodded hard enough, the rubbery texture would be more obvious. He was still a little fascinated by exactly how Luffy's ability could work, but Luffy didn't really know how to answer any questions he might have. For instance, were his bones able to be broken if they were rubber? Since falling from high places or being hit with blunt objects only seemed to mildly annoy or scare Luffy for the most part, he doubted it. Was it the same with his organs, then? If Luffy could inflate himself like a balloon, could he shrink himself in size too?

He pushed those thoughts from his head. Wondering wouldn't really get him anywhere, and he hadn't taken Luffy's hand to think about the Devil Fruit.

He'd taken it to see how it felt to hold the hand of a family member. Not just any family member, his brother.

"Otouto," Sabo heard himself murmur out loud. His dark blue eyes did a quick scan, a pleased smile on his lips when neither boy so much as stirred from the sound.

Another word that hadn't been in his life often. He was a big brother now. He had a little brother to look after. A little brother whose hand felt so small and fragile in his own as the weight of that statement settled in his heart. Luffy had always trailed behind them, desperately trying to catch up while he insisted he was strong, but protecting him then had been more of an obvious choice. He and Ace could stand side by side, partners with similar goals and methods, but Luffy wasn't strong enough yet. Not to say that he was weak, either. Sabo could tell he had strength in him, but he needed time to grow into it.

No, this feeling was different. The realization was finally starting to sink in that Luffy was his little brother. He wouldn't be protecting Luffy because it was the logical choice anymore. He'd be protecting Luffy because that was what big brothers did, wasn't it?

Maybe he had no experience in the matter, and maybe he was only going off assumptions or stories… but in that moment, watching Luffy smile in his sleep while holding onto his hand, Sabo knew it was the right feeling. He wanted to be a big brother who could protect and nurture his little brother. He wanted Luffy to be able to look to him for guidance, comfort, protection… everything he had ever wanted as a lonely child in High Town, he wanted to be able to give Luffy.

The intensity of that emotion scared him a little, causing him to pull his hand back after a moment. It wasn't like their toast of brotherhood had given them any physical change or anything. They'd been together for enough time that his bond with Ace had strengthened and he'd managed to form one with Luffy. The toast had given them a sense of officiality, but had it really changed anything in them?

It only took Sabo moments to realize his answer. No, it hadn't. It had merely given him an excuse to stop holding back.

His eyes flickered to Ace next. Outsiders assumed he and Ace knew each other inside and out with how long they'd been collaborating for their common goal, but that wasn't exactly true. Sure, they could fall into a routine that seemed perfectly choreographed in a fight, and they didn't always need to speak to communicate what they wanted the other to do. They also knew more about each other than anyone else seemed to know about either of them individually.

They'd been friends. What had started as a mutual agreement of teamwork had escalated to genuine friendship quickly, but it had taken time for either of them to lower their guard. Surprisingly enough, that guard had started coming down again. Not that Ace would admit it, but ever since they'd accepted Luffy as their friend, something had softened in the normally hostile boy.

Would he change too, with the weight of their declaration? Would his protectiveness intensify, along with his stubborn claims that he didn't care?

Sabo rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. He could hear Dadan snoring under their floorboards, a chorus of bandits giving various other noises that meant sleep from elsewhere in the large home. Ace's snore was a light buzz, while Luffy continued to mumble names or types of food he wanted - usually meat - in between his own snores. The sounds were far more comforting than the eerie silence of High Town or the constant racket from the Gray Terminal. In this unusual home with his unusual new family, he could sleep.

The thought came abruptly and without warning, causing dark blue eyes to open again, staring without really focusing.

Luffy was their little brother. They were his big brothers.

But what were they to each other? Which one of them was oldest? Was he also a little brother, or was he big brother to both of them?

It was a strange, almost unsettling thought. He didn't feel much like a younger brother, or like he wanted Ace to have the same protective urges Sabo currently felt for Luffy. Sure, they were protective of each other too, but protecting a little brother was… it was different. The little brother deserved priority. If Sabo was also the little brother, would Ace falter if they were somehow both in danger and Sabo couldn't save himself? Would he have to decide which brother needed to be saved, rather than immediately choose Luffy?

And if he happened to be older? Ace was definitely not the kind of person who wanted someone protecting and nurturing him. He'd call it coddling and bristle, insisting he was fine on his own. When he thought of Ace, he simply thought 'brother'. Kyoudai. Not older, not younger.

Could a family work like that? Two eldest brothers, one younger? They'd call it nonsense in High Town, but the idea set Sabo's mind at ease. It might have sounded weird to anyone else, but Sabo found he didn't care. Not that he'd tell Ace. If he brought up the concern, Ace would probably insist on finding out. Sabo didn't want to know. Luckily, he was positive if Ace ever brought it up, he'd be able to twist the situation to his advantage and keep them from actually having to admit a birthday out loud. They'd met rather early in the year when they'd been younger, and they'd been the same age. Their birthdays had to be very close to one another.

The smile that touched his lips was bright, and he couldn't stop it from appearing. That morning, he'd been Sabo, Ace and Luffy's friend from the Gray Terminal who had no family. That afternoon, he'd been forced to confess to having blood relatives he wanted nothing to do with, afraid his friends would look at him differently or feel he didn't belong with them because he hadn't lost his parents in the same sense that they had.

Now - and as far as he was concerned, forever - he was Sabo, Ace and Luffy's brother.

"Ace, Sabo," Luffy mumbled again, the sound causing his smile to widen a bit. He twisted a little, seeing that Luffy's blanket had come halfway off and he was trying to find it in his sleep.

A chuckle escaped, and then Sabo was reaching to take the blanket and put it back up around Luffy's upper body. He would most likely just kick it back off at some point, but for the time being, it satisfied the young boy. Luffy went right back to snoring and smiling, looking content in his sleep, and Sabo was able to settle back into his own mat to fall into his own peaceful slumber.

Sabo glanced over his shoulder, grinning automatically. He and Ace were up front as always, pipes ready while Luffy happily flailed his arms. The youngest of the three was excited at the prospect of food like every other morning, even though they hadn't decided on what their prey would be yet. Sabo was pretty sure they'd wind up going for fish, if only because it was the easiest thing they could cook on their own.

That meant Luffy wouldn't be of much help, and Sabo would have to make sure to keep an eye on him in case he tried.

"Food food food!" Luffy cheered, putting on a burst of speed and catching up. In the past, Sabo and Ace had run side by side while Luffy tried to push in between them, but since he couldn't keep up, they never bothered making room. Now Sabo found himself shifting just a little, noting Ace doing the same so the boy could easily fit there if needed.

"Be patient, Luffy," Sabo chuckled, unable to stop himself from smiling wider at Luffy's enthusiasm. "We have to hunt first."

"Yeah, but then we get to eat!" Luffy explained, flailing his arms and nearly smacking Ace in the eye because he wasn't looking.

"Oi, watch it," Ace grumbled, swatting his hand out of the way. "I think we should get fish for breakfast anyway, and you can't help with that."

"I can too!" Luffy turned to look at Ace now, barely keeping up with them both. "You just don't wanna share!"

"I can catch my own fish," Ace retorted, sticking his tongue out.

Luffy's breathing got a little too heavy for him to respond, so he fell back a bit, lagging behind while they kept running. "So can I!"

"He can always try," Sabo looked over at Ace. "And if he doesn't catch anything after a while, he could gather the firewood to cook it."

"He never sits still enough," Ace complained. "And if he falls in the water, he'll scare the fish away."

"Or attract the bigger fish," Sabo joked. That had happened before, although neither brother really enjoyed using their younger brother as bait.

"I won't fall in!" Luffy insisted. "And I'll sit still! I'll show you!"

"Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it," Ace muttered.

Sabo merely laughed at their exchange, one hand moving to hold his stomach as they ran. Ace was probably right. Luffy would most likely fall in or complain too much to catch anything that wouldn't be trying to catch him. If he did wind up as bait again, it meant neither of them would be able to focus on fishing, because they'd have to save Luffy. Of course, if he attracted a big enough fish, it could wind up saving them time, even if Ace and Sabo wound up being the ones who had to take it down.

Still, no matter how much they shared and looked out for each other, they were trying to be strong and teach Luffy to look after himself like they did. Ace and Sabo could easily catch enough food for all of them, but Luffy needed to be able to contribute. That had been the rule, and Sabo didn't want Luffy to feel like he wasn't capable of helping.

It didn't take them long to reach the river. They set aside their pipes in favor of makeshift spears that consisted of thick branches they'd hammered knife blades into. While Ace immediately started hopping on rocks and looking for a fish to spear, Sabo stopped Luffy at the bank to get him set up with a fishing pole - a workable one they'd salvaged from the Gray Terminal - and a relatively safe spot to fish from. Unfortunately, the only fish they ever caught the traditional way were tiny in comparison to the ones Sabo and Ace could bring down with their crudely fashioned weapons, but even a tiny fish would be better for Luffy's spirits than no fish at all.

"I won't fall in," Luffy promised Sabo, grinning brightly. "Just you watch!"

"Alright," Sabo agreed with him, tousling his hair since his hat had fallen back on the string. "I'm going to go help Ace, okay?"

"Okay," Luffy nodded, determination all over his cheerful face.

Sabo couldn't resist ruffling his hair one more time before grabbing his own makeshift spear and heading over the rocks to catch up with Ace.

"He doesn't have to catch anything, you know," Ace complained as soon as Sabo was within earshot. "It's not like we can't catch enough fish for all of us."

"Aren't you the one who insisted he catch his own food last time we did this?"

"That was before. He can help all he wants in the jungle, but he really doesn't need to risk himself here."

"You almost sound worried," Sabo couldn't help but tease, eyes darting over the top of the water. He was following shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"I'm not worried!" Ace practically shouted. All of the shadows vanished, the fish diving deeper.

"Ace, you just scared all the fish away," Sabo laughed. "Anyway he's near the shore and the current isn't that strong right now, so he should be fine."

He cast a glance over his shoulder, seeing that Luffy had both feet planted firmly on the ground with an incredibly stiff stance. Since Luffy seemed to be just as safe as Sabo had been telling Ace he would be, the young blonde turned back to his fishing companion. "It's okay if you worry, you know. I mean, he's our little brother. And I won't tell him you're worried," he added the last part when Ace glared at him.

A mumbled sound escaped, and then Ace was turning away and heading further in to find where the fish had gone. Sabo could have sworn he saw a blush on those freckle-dusted cheeks.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Sabo remained in place, waiting for the shadows to appear again. It didn't seem like any of the larger and more hostile fish were around that day, which made their job a little harder. The hostile ones would come up and try to take a bite, bringing them into easy killing range.

Ace seemed to be having the same problem, scowling down at the water and holding still on his new rock.

The shadows were just getting close enough for Sabo to make a move when Luffy's voice shattered his concentration and nearly made him drop his weapon.

"Ah! Sabo! Something's biting!" Luffy announced happily, tugging on the fishing pole.

With his own fish diving deeper again, Sabo forced a smile, looking over. "That's great, Luffy."

He spared a glance at Ace, pleased when the other boy bit back a chastising comment for Luffy having scared their fish away. At least Luffy was going to catch something; that would be a big confidence booster for him.

"Wah!"

Sabo's attention snapped back to Luffy immediately, eyes growing wide when he realized Luffy was having trouble pulling his fish in. He was trying to back up, but his arms were stretching as the pole was being forced away from him. If he didn't hurry and let go or pull the fish in, his arms were going to retract and likely propel him right into the water. It didn't seem like he had the strength to pull the fish in though, and that was why Sabo was worried.

"Luffy, let go!" Sabo cried.

"No!" Luffy stubbornly dug his feet into the ground and tried to pull back, but all it did was stretch his arms further.

"Idiot!" Ace snapped, already rushing back over the rocks. "Just let go before you fall in!"

The fish on the other end of the line chose that moment to surface, leaping into the air and jerking. The smaller fish that must have taken the initial bait was caught in the larger fish's sharp teeth.

"That's my fish!" Luffy protested. "I caught it fair and square!"

The line tugged then, yanking Luffy up off the ground. In the next moment, his arms retracted and sent him barrelling towards the clearly aggressive fish, right over the middle of the river. He didn't let go of the fishing pole, but he did yelp loudly, eyes going very wide and little legs flailing with panic.

"Sabo!" Ace shouted.

Sabo didn't even have to think about what Ace wanted. At the sound of his name, he brought his weapon up over the water, holding it in both hands and bracing himself. Ace's weight caused him to lean forward a little as the raven-haired boy landed on the pole, and almost as if they'd planned it, he applied his full force to bring the weapon up at the exact moment Ace moved to kick off of it. The combined force sent him high into the air, quickly enough for him to spear the fish and grab Luffy around the waist. All three hit the water shortly after, with Sabo tossing his weapon back to dry land and diving in to help retrieve either the fish or Luffy. It really only depended on which one Ace wanted to drag back in.

"Ugh," Ace complained, surfacing and coughing to clear his throat. Luffy looked completely drained, eyes a little swirly and little hands still clutching the fishing pole. He was still conscious though, which was always a good sign.

"Are you both okay?" Sabo asked, grabbing onto one of the fins so the fish wouldn't float away and try to drag Luffy with it.

"Yeah, we're fine," Ace answered, sighing and working to pull Luffy out of the water.

As soon as they were close enough, Ace tossed Luffy towards the spot they planned to eat their breakfast, then helped Sabo pull the large fish up with them.

"Thanks," Sabo grinned at him, stripping off his jacket and shirt, wringing out the latter. He had to take his hat off too, tossing the soaked clothing onto the rocks to help them dry in the sunlight. He moved to help Luffy next, removing his hat so he could pull his wet shirt off and wring it out. The younger boy still seemed drained.

Ace didn't say anything as he took his own shirt off. He tossed it onto the rocks as well and immediately headed off to get firewood so he could get started cooking.

"Luffy, are you okay?" Sabo asked, sitting him up and checking him over.

"I'm fine," Luffy rubbed at his eyes to wipe away the water, then opened them so he could beam up at Sabo. "I caught a big fish, Sabo!"

Sabo stared at him for a moment, then burst out laughing, unable to help himself. It was just like Luffy to ignore that he'd been in danger and worried his brothers. He could only focus on his pseudo-achievement.

"Technically, Ace caught it," Sabo said, which had Luffy faltering. "But we wouldn't have gotten such a big fish if you hadn't lured it out."

The bright look was back, causing Luffy to cheer, picking his hat up off the ground and plopping it over his head. He pulled it down over his eyes briefly, a move Sabo had noticed he'd do whenever he was overexcited or being shy. This seemed to be a mix of both. The sudden urge to hug his little brother hit Sabo like a flailing sea king, and he immediately gave in by wrapping his arms around Luffy's shoulders.

Luffy, who had always been the more emotional and expressive of the bunch, seemed to go still at the hug. For a brief moment, Sabo was worried he shouldn't have hugged the boy, but before he even had time to entertain that thought, Luffy was practically tackling him into the ground with the force of his joyful embrace.

"Luffy…!" Sabo laughed, barely stopping himself from being knocked over. "What's gotten into you?"

"You never hug me," Luffy explained sheepishly, peering up at Sabo. His dark eyes were practically sparkling. "I thought you wouldn't want to hug me because that's what kids do and we're not kids!"

Sabo knew better than to correct Luffy; they may have been more independent than most adults, but they were still technically kids. It would only make Luffy argue, though. "Well, we are brothers," he said. "And brothers can hug each other."

"Shishishi," Luffy giggled, closing his eyes and giving Sabo another squeeze. "Okay!"

Laughing again, Sabo returned the hug, then carefully untangled himself. Ace would be back any moment, and he wanted to talk to him before the freckled boy started scolding Luffy for winding up in a semi-dangerous situation. "Luffy, can you guard the fish while I go help Ace?"

"Yosh!" Luffy pushed himself up and adopted a serious look on his face, though his eyes were still shining from how pleased he was. It took all of Sabo's willpower to stop from hugging his little brother again.

Still grinning, Sabo headed after Ace, catching him right as he was making his way to their campsite.

"Hey Ace, wait a second," Sabo said, halting him.

"What is it? If we don't start cooking it soon, Luffy's going to try to eat it raw. Again."

Sabo chuckled. That was true. "Right right, this won't take long. Just don't scold him about the fish, okay?"

"Don't scold him? He shouldn't have tried to pull that fish in," Ace scowled at the thought. "This is why I didn't want him trying to help."

"Well, yes," Sabo agreed. "He should have let go, but we were there and he was never in that much danger. Right now he's really happy he helped catch our breakfast, and he did make it easier. I know you want to yell at him a little, but why don't we just let him have this one?"

Ace sighed. "What's with you, Sabo? You're acting weird."

"Am I?" Sabo asked. He frowned. "I didn't think I was acting any differently…"

"You're not acting differently, you're just acting… weird."

"How am I acting weird?"

Ace rolled his eyes, handing some of the wood over so Sabo could help him carry it. "Anyway why does it matter so much if I scold him for being an idiot? He'll still be happy once he starts eating."

"Because he's really proud of himself right now," Sabo answered. "And he wants us to be just as proud. If you scold him, he's going to feel bad."

"So we're supposed to overlook the fact that he did something stupid and ignored us when we told him to let go… why?" Ace glanced at Sabo as they started walking back.

"Well, he's our little brother now, Ace," Sabo explained, shrugging his shoulders and grinning. "We can overlook it sometimes, can't we?"

Satisfied that Ace would take his words to heart, Sabo jogged ahead. He didn't want to keep Luffy waiting any longer, and the chances of Luffy getting into trouble without them there were always higher than average. With their luck, a larger predator would come after the fish and Luffy would try to fight it off alone.

Thankfully, Luffy was alone when they got back, still in a determined pose. He turned to greet his brothers when he heard them coming, absolutely beaming and waving. "I guarded our breakfast!" he announced proudly.

"Good job," Sabo praised, grinning back and hurrying over so they could get the fire started. Ace simply nodded, obviously lost in thought as they worked on getting the fish cooking. By the time it was ready to eat, their clothes were mostly dry, although Sabo's hat still felt waterlogged and his jacket was taking far longer than their shirts, causing him to forego those articles of clothing until they were done eating.

"Oi, Luffy," Ace said, halting the drooling boy before he could grab his portion. "Next time, listen to us. Okay?"

"Okay!" Luffy agreed easily, smiling his overly infectious smile.

Ace quickly looked away, scowling at nothing while a light blush rose on his cheeks again. He tossed a third of the fish over to Luffy - the middle and best part in their opinions - to distract him. He didn't look at Sabo either, since the blonde was grinning brightly at Ace's words.

"Hey, Sabo."

Sabo opened his eyes, twisting a little to try and look at Ace in the dim light. They'd long since finished their training and hunting for the day, grateful that Dadan had allowed them to go without a bath since they'd all been in the river already. Luffy was snoring on his sleeping mat again, happily mumbling about meat and fish and being the pirate king.

He hadn't been sleeping of course, just relaxing while listening to the sounds of home again. If he'd realized Ace was still awake, he might have tried to strike up a conversation first. "Hm?"

"Earlier today," Ace kept his voice soft, clearly not wanting anyone to overhear. "I didn't think about it that way."

"Think about what?" Sabo rolled to look at him, eyebrows going up a bit when Ace sat up. He pushed himself up as well, giving Ace his full attention.

"When you said Luffy was our little brother now," Ace kept his back to Sabo. "I wasn't really thinking about it. Being a big brother, I mean."

A knowing smile touched Sabo's lips. "Ah. That's why you were so quiet earlier. You really didn't think about that when we exchanged sake cups?"

Ace pushed a hand through his hair. "I guess I didn't. Family isn't exactly my area of expertise."

"Hey, it's not mine either," Sabo made a face even though Ace wasn't looking at him. "But well… everyone knows big brothers protect their younger siblings. That's why they're born first."

"Everyone knows that?" Ace's voice was skeptical. "How come I've never heard it?"

"You don't get out much," Sabo answered simply. "And anyway, that's just what I think. You don't have to feel the same way. We're family now though, so I've decided to be what I think a big brother should be."

"What about me?"

"Well… you should do the same thing. Figure out what kind of brother you want to be, and be it. Nothing really changed between us anyway. You said that earlier."

"I guess," Ace sighed, shoulders slumping. "Maybe we're thinking too much. You know Luffy's not thinking about it at all."

Sabo chuckled. "Not the way we are, no." He was silent for a few moments before he continued, smiling thoughtfully. "You know… we might not have changed much, but the word, kyoudai, it did change something."

"What do you mean?" Ace asked, finally turning to look at his blonde friend. Even in the dark, Sabo could see his brooding expression.

"I mean… don't you think to everyone else, they'll hear us say it and think it's just a word? The Nobles back in High Town won't recognize us as family just because we say we are, but who cares? It might just be a word, but it makes us happy, doesn't it?" Sabo's smile widened. "Having a family - a family I chose, not the family I was forced to be a part of - it makes me happy."

Ace was silent, but there was a softness in his expression that was rarely - if ever - seen by anyone else.

"Ace… Sabo…" Luffy rolled onto his stomach, flopping off his sleeping mat and partially onto Sabo's.

Sabo ruffled Luffy's sleep-mussed hair and pulled the blanket back over him. He moved to lie back down, not bothering to push Luffy back onto his own mat. He didn't mind if Luffy shared his. They never stayed perfectly still on their own mats anyway. "Goodnight, Ace."

"Night," Ace answered quietly, remaining where he was for a little while. He was the last one to curl up and go to sleep.

A/N: Thanks for reading! As always, reviews taste like cookies and I hope everyone enjoyed! I adore the relationship between ASL. It'll be a while before I get my AUs up and going, so hopefully I can update this regularly, especially as the new chapters fuel my brotherly love fire.

Next up will be Ace's chapter :)