I wasn't going to write another multi-chapter fic till Is Love Real? was done but this idea wouldn't leave my head. I also lost the USB that Is Love Real? was on and so I couldn't work on it for a while but I recently found it again! I promise to work on it more!
Anyway I don't know when this fic will be updated because I have life to deal with and so does my beta reader but each chapter is going to be kinda its own individual part showing different situations that Ace and Sabo have to deal with. So don't worry! You won't have to wait months after a big cliffhanger.
I hope you enjoy baby Luffy. How he acts is based on research plus what I can remember from when my brother was that little and other little kids that I have interacted with.
Well I hope you like my story!
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The phone rang loudly into the rush inside the small apartment. It was ignored for the first few rings before one of the two people rushing back and forth picked it up.
"Hello? Yes. Just a minute, he's putting his pants on," the blond spoke into the phone before turning to the other occupant of the apartment. "It's your grandfather," he said as he tossed the phone to the dark haired boy.
"What is it now, Garp?" he asked, holding the phone between his head and shoulder while he struggled into a pair of jeans. "Now? What- No, I was- Fine. Come over. I'll tell the others I will be late." Ace turned off the phone and fell onto the couch.
"Shall I call the others for you? I'm sure they will understand since they all know your grandfather." Ace just sighed and nodded, gesturing for Sabo to sit down with him.
The two 20-year-olds sat in silence as the call rang through to one of the friends they had been going to go see.
"Oh yeah, I understand," Izou's voice came through the phone. "We'll swing by later after doing some shopping and bring something for dinner. You'd probably be bored anyway cause Thatch said he wanted to get some more hair gel. You know what he's like with that stuff. Has to try out everything and then get the stuff he always gets. Anyway, got to run. I'll see you later!"
"See, I told you they would understand." Sabo nudged Ace, grinning. Ace rolled his eyes. "Come on. Let's finish getting dressed, love." Sabo pressed a kiss to Ace's cheek as Ace turned bright red.
"I thought I told you to stop calling me that!" he said, trying to look mad.
"Give it up. I know you like it. Let's get dressed before your grandfather gets here."
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Garp had arrived with a bang, quite literally, as he had nearly broken their door, and had launched right into his reason to visit as little Luffy played with his tie.
"I need you to take care of Luffy."
"Okay. No problem, it's not like you haven't made us babysit before." Garp shook his head.
"No, that's not what I mean. The navy needs me to go overseas and I can't take Luffy to the place I am going. I need you to take him for me. Its either you guys or foster care and I really don't want to put him into foster care." Sabo and Ace just looked at him. "Ace, as his cousin you are his only close relative alive, other than me." the silence continued. "And I am not asking you to do it without anything. I would send money and you could live in my condo for free. I would even put all my stuff in storage while you guys lived there. It would just mean you would have to look after him and be responsible for him as his legal guardian."
"So you want me," nod, "to look after my 3-year-old baby cousin," nod, "who I already babysit at least once a week," nod, "while you go overseas," nod, "but you will give us money for him," nod, "and let us live in your really nice, fairly new condo that's really near both of our workplaces and our friends places." Nod.
Ace turned to Sabo.
"Well, what do you think?"
"I think we should do it. We already take care of him at least once or twice a week. I mean, how hard could it be? He is your cousin and I hear that foster care isn't that great."
"Okay. We will do it."
"Great!" Garp pulled out a bunch of forms. "Now I can't make Sabo one of his guardians because he isn't related to Luffy, but he can still take care of Luffy. He can sign as the witness on these forms that you need to sign though, so it works perfectly."
"You were going to make us say yes even if we said no, weren't you." Ace said.
"Nonsense. Why would you think such a thing?" Garp said back to him
"Whatever, old man."
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"Ok, so here is the first cheque, and you have the keys. Do you need anything else?"
"No, we're fine, old man. And what's with this worrying? Isn't that kinda out of character for you?"
"I'm not worried. Nope, not at all, you silly boy. Come here, I need to leave now." Garp forcibly pulled Ace and Sabo into a bone-crushing hug before each giving them a big slobbery kiss on the cheek, the type only a grandfather could give. "If you ever need anything, just phone. It doesn't matter what time of day it is." He then walked over to the playpen that Luffy was in to keep him from running around. He picked up his youngest grandson and swung him around, also planting a big kiss on his cheek.
"Bye-bye gwampa!" Luffy said, waving from his spot in Ace's arms as Garp's car left the condo parking lot.
"So. We have the house set up, finally, and Garp has left. Is there anything else we need to do today?" Ace asked Sabo.
"Uh, we could probably use some groceries, and I think some of our friends wanted to pop by at some point in the next few days. Other than that and taking care of Luffy, not really."
"Well, we should probably go shopping then. Should we walk or take the car?"
"Let's walk. It's nice out so we might as well. I'll make a list while you go get Luffy ready."
"Sounds good. Alright, Lu. Let's get ready for this adventure."
"Fun! Me like Fun!" Luffy shouted and managed to smack Ace in the cheek with the hand he had just been sucking on.
"Aww, gross, Lu. No one wants a slobbery hand to the face. Garp was probably right. Always, always have hand-wipes ready."
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They arrived at the Supermarket without much trouble. It was summer so they didn't have to worry about the cold so there wasn't much hassle getting out the door. They put Luffy buckled into the cart so he wouldn't cause trouble. He fussed about it until Ace produced a colourful toy from his pocket to keep him amused.
They were half done shopping when it started.
"Aww! He's so cute! Is he yours?" A small flock of woman had descended upon Ace and Luffy while Sabo picked out eggs.
"Actually he is-" They cut him off with high pitched giggling before he could say any more.
"He looks a lot like you!"
"Hard to believe cuties like you are related to that old man that use to bring him in."
"I know! Totally bizarre!" they all chattered at once. Then one leaned over and started taking to Luffy in a baby voice
"Abububu. You and your daddy are total cuties!"
"Dada-y!" Luffy shouted grinning. That cued another round of squeals and giggles. Ace sighed.
"Hey, are you single? You're not wearing a ring."
"I-"
"He's taken." Sabo walked over carrying the eggs and put them into the cart. The women turned to him.
"We were asking him, not his roommate," one lady said rudely.
"I'm not his-"
"Oi. Don't you dare talk to him like that," Ace growled.
"Huh?" the lady said.
"He was right. The person you just rudely talked to is my partner. I'm not single. Back off. "
"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't realize." She quietly left along with the other ladies, leaving Ace and Sabo to finish their shopping.
"Nice save there," said a voice behind them.
"Oh. Nojiko! Didn't expect to see you here," Sabo said as she pushed her cart up.
"I heard the commotion and was wondering what new guy they were fussing over. Didn't expect to see you either. I guess you're babysitting for Garp again. Hello there, Luffy. Remember me?" Luffy laughed and waved at her. "So, what have you been up to lately? Haven't seen you in a while."
"Well, Sabo and I are now looking after Luffy on a more permanent term."
"Oh, my god. Did something happen to Garp?" she gasped.
"No, no, the old man is fine. He got called away overseas to do advising or something. So we got stuck with this little one. It's not too bad so far, though he can be a little trouble maker." Ace gently ruffled Luffy's hair.
"Dada-y!" Luffy said again with a big grin. Ace groaned.
"No, Luffy. I'm not your daddy. I'm Ace, your cousin. Ace."
"Asu is Dada-y. Lady say Asu is Dada-y. Dadda-y."
"Aw fuck," Ace said.
"Language," Nojiko reminded him.
"Sh- shiznits," Ace corrected himself.
"It's okay. We'll get used to it." Sabo said. Nojiko laughed again.
"Well if you guys need someone to babysit so you can get some alone time you have my number. Let's go out for coffee sometime as well. I got to get going. See you later!"
"Sounds good. See ya." Ace said.
"Dadda-y!" Luffy said again pleased at the new word and the reaction that it got out of his new parents.
"Seriously, Lu. You gotta stop calling me that. We don't want it to become a habit." Sabo just grinned.
"I think you are stuck being called daddy even if it's just for now. He doesn't have a father so you are the replacement and its normal for kids to call their parents stuff like mommy and daddy. I use to call my father papa and sometimes still do."
"I guess you're right. Luffy, what's with the strange look on your face?"
"Papa! Sabo is papa! Papapa!"
"Dude, did he just...?" Sabo asked.
"He did."
"Oh hell no."
"Language, dear," Ace reminded him. Sabo sighed
"We're gonna get stuck with these name, aren't we..."
"Lu calls people what he wants to call them. He sometimes calls Garp 'Jii-cha', which he got from Sengoku calling Garp that when he was angry."
"Haha. You two are quite alike. Both calling your grandfather 'old man'."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever, smartass. Let's finish the shopping and go home. I don't want to be attacked by that mob of woman again."
"That's for sure. They are not gonna lay a finger on your pretty ass. That ass is mine," Sabo said with a grin and smacked Ace lightly on the butt.
"Just go get the frozen peas, you weirdo," Ace replied, smacking him back with the shopping list.
"Fine. It's not my fault if you get mobbed again."
"Just get the peas, idiot."
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They arrived home not too long later. Ace had been carrying Luffy and a couple light bags, leaving the rest of the food to Sabo.
"Need to pee," Luffy said, tugging at Ace's shirt.
"Can you wait a moment for me to put this away?" Ace asked him. He shook his head.
"Alright. Sabo, can you put these things away too?"
"Sure." Sabo grabbed the bags before continuing into the kitchen.
"Alright, Lu. Let's go to the potty." Luffy started squirming, so Ace put him down and followed him to the bathroom.
"So, do you want to use your potty or the big potty?" Ace asked. Luffy looked at them.
"Big potty," he said.
"Big potty it is." Luffy pulled down his pants and held up his arms for Ace to pick him up. "Up you go!" Ace picked him up and sat him on the toilet.
"Gonna fall in!" Luffy gripped Ace's arms tightly.
"Lu, you're okay. You're not going to fall in. I gotcha so you won't fall, okay?" Ace said, smiling at him.
"Okay." They could hear Sabo moving around in the kitchen, putting away the food.
"All done." Luffy said with a grin. Ace grinned back and lifted him back down.
"Good job. You got the rest of this, Lu?" Luffy nodded. Ace had to lift him to use the sink cause he wasn't quite tall enough yet, even with his stool.
"Alright. Good job, buddy. Let's go see what Sabo is up to." Ace held up his hand for a high five, which Luffy delivered. Ace stood and followed behind as Luffy toddled out of the room toward the kitchen.
"Snack! Sabo papa, I want a snack!"
"What is the word you use when you want something, Luffy?"
"Please!"
"Yep, you got it! Now, I could give you some cheerios or apple sauce. Which one do you want?"
"Cheerios!" There was a pause "Please." Sabo laughed.
"You're really cute, Luffy. I'll get the cheerios. You go sit at the table." Luffy ran off to the kitchen table as Sabo got the cereal down. Ace was standing in the doorway, a smile on his face.
"What's with that look, love?" Sabo asked. Ace blushed.
"You are so cute when you interact with Luffy."
"I could say the same to you," Sabo replied. Ace just shrugged.
"Fair enough." He crossed the kitchen to plant a kiss on Sabo's lips. He smiled.
"Now, you will have to excuse me. Our tiny roommate requires cheerios."
"Don't let my presence hold you back from that difficult task."
"Oh yes, I will have to slave for many hours over these cheerios. Oh look, I'm finished already." Sabo stuck out his tongue at Ace and placed the small bowl in front of Luffy, who had climbed up into a chair at the table. Luffy attacked the food with enthusiasm. Dry cheerios flew all over the kitchen.
"I'll get the broom." Ace said, and picked a cheerio out of his hair.
TBC
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There is more to come! If you liked this chapter you should add this to story alerts and/or review. Reviews help me write as they encourage me. I always reply unless I can't due to someone not being logged in so feel free to ask questions. I also have other One Piece stories posted here if anyone is interested.
Thanks for reading!