A/N: As with a bunch of my one-shots, I got the idea for this from a random plot bunny triggered by some split-second occurrence in my head. In this case, you can thank the song "Not Your Birthday" [Prom Version] by Allstar Weekend for this…thing. x'D That is if you enjoy it of course, it's a bit all over the place.

c: OOC-ness may have a hand in this fic, but then again, we don't have a firm grasp on older Sabo's personality, since we've only officially seen him for any length of time during the Dressrosa arc. Also, the story comes from mostly one P.O.V., but it does alternate on occasion. cx

Rated T: for mild language.

Pairings: None, but plenty of Brotherly!SaboLu Fluff

Long A/N over with, hope you enjoy the fic!

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own One Piece or "Not Your Birthday," just my own words. Trust me, I'm too broke to own either.

The night was nearly silent aboard the dark deck of the Thousand Sunny.

The key word being "nearly."

Sharp taps echoed across the wooden section of the deck, off towards the quarters housing the sleeping crew, whom, upon the assumption that the peaceful section of the New World to which they were anchored didn't require a night watchman, were ignorant of the unfamiliar presence. Had one been listening, they would have been able to equate the tapping to the sound of footsteps.

A silhouette flickered into existence against the bright light, courtesy of the moon, that streamed across the empty deck. The figure sighed, almost in exasperation or even disbelief, and examined the ship, taking in the grass, swaying in the sea breeze, that covered the main expanse of the deck and the bright colors that adorned the roofs of the various rooms making up the majority of the structure. Smiling slightly in approval of the high quality Adam's Wood and sound build of the ship, the figure hummed, the low tone betraying his gender.

This ship was clearly the work of a master shipwright.

He looked around, surprised that he had yet to be noticed or attacked, but shrugged and set off in the direction of the cabins. He checked the captain's cabin first, frowning upon finding no one, but continued on, stealthily inspecting each room until he came upon the one he sought.

Bingo.

He grinned and slunk into the room, his jacket billowing behind him. The previous taps had dampened considerably in volume until they were nearly indistinguishable against the snoring and mumbling permeating the air of the men's cabin as the man quietly approached the figure sprawled across a bunk in the back of the room. His previous grin widened as he took in the young captain beneath his gaze.

Straw Hat Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates. It was almost hard to believe that the slumbering teen was worth 500 million beli, but when one thought about the numerous feats the captain had committed, it was easier to grasp. He was powerful no doubt, had shaken the world with the magnitude of his adventures and looked to be the man who would be called "Pirate King."

Future Pirate King indeed.

The tall man looking down at the boy chuckled and leaned down to pick up the straw-hatted teen, arms unfaltering with the added weight and turned to exit the cabin. The teen in his arms remained unaware of his misplacement, snoring loudly and squirming a bit to get comfortable before settling down. The shadowed figure almost laughed at the absurdity, that such a powerful man would sleep through his 'abduction,' but his main goal at the moment was to get out of there, before his luck ran out.

It'd be too much of a hassle to have to explain himself to the crew after all.

And with that thought in mind, he jumped off the railing. A single hand clutched his hat to his head as he disappeared into the night.

It was warm.

That was the first thing that came to Luffy's mind as he slowly blinked awake. Sunlight pierced his eyes, causing him to groan and attempt to roll over, only to find that he couldn't. Reaching up to rub at his eyes, he couldn't help but snuggle his pillow, reveling in the warmth that encompassed his being. Upon further inspection, he noticed a warm weight anchoring him to his 'bed,' and when his keen ears picked up a soft snicker, Luffy couldn't help but pause.

He blinked and cocked his head. That was odd…

Craning his neck, Luffy turned his head to the side only to squawk in surprise when he realized he was airborne. No matter how far he looked, he was surrounded on all sides by thick clouds and slivers of blue. WHAT THE HECK-

Looking down, he saw a flock of big, black birds, which he assumed to be the reason he was in the sky at all. Wind licked at his hair, as he stared in surprise at the impromptu transportation beneath him.

He rubbed at his eyes again, only to be astonished upon realizing that no, he wasn't dreaming. All around him were clouds and the endless expanse of sky. It reminded the young captain of Skypeia, in a way, but he certainly hadn't rode the Knock-Up Stream before falling asleep last night.

Well, I guess it's a mystery!

Luffy shrugged, then grinned widely, excited at the prospect of a brand new adventure, but was promptly reminded of the oddity of his predicament when he heard a voice speak up from behind him.

"Ah, it seems you're awake."

The voice sounded familiar, but it didn't matter much to Luffy when he suddenly realized that he had no idea where his crew was in this situation.

Luffy shot up into a sitting position, not noticing the tightened hold on his midsection, and whirled around to confront the mystery voice about where the HECK his crew was. He hadn't endured two years of training to lose his crew again-

"WOAH- careful Lu! There might be a bunch of crows, but you could still fall! There's a lot of ocean down there!"

Luffy stared in disbelief at his big brother, who sat there, looking vaguely sheepish as he rubbed at the back of his head.

"SABO?!"

His blonde brother grinned and bowed slightly in greeting.

"The one and only!"

Luffy blinked, taking in the sight of the revolutionary. His blonde hair hung in his face, his black jacket swayed in the wind, his gloved right hand kept a tight grip on his top hat…all in all, the same brother he had been reintroduced to in Dressroba.

Luffy sprung forward without preamble, wrapping his arms multiple times around his brother, clinging tightly to the elder's torso. Sabo reeled back just a bit, but composed himself quickly, and wrapped his other arm around his little brother's waist.

The blonde rolled his eyes fondly. To think he had thought he needed to keep a grip on his hyperactive brother. Luffy's affectionate nature pretty much guaranteed that he'd remain secure on the back of the crow they rode on.

"Hey Sabo, why are you here? I'm happy and all, but I haven't got to see you since Dressroba! You just disappeared after I beat the crap out of Mingo!"

Sabo was broken out of his musings by the blunt question, courtesy of his little brother. He blushed, he probably should've explained himself immediately, huh?

So much for being the "smart one" of the trio- duo… his mind supplied. He shook the lingering sadness off for the moment, he had two years to come to terms with Ace's death! He needed to be the strong one here, for Luffy. If he broke down for seemingly no reason, he'd only worry the teen and that just wouldn't do.

Well, what can he say, finally seeing his brother face-to-face without the looming threat of the deadly Birdcage can really make a guy emotional. Especially when he hasn't been able to see said baby brother for twelve years…not that it was Luffy's fault.

He smiled at his little brother and ruffled his hair.

"To see you, of course!"

Luffy nodded sagely, but then tilted his head.

"Yea, but why are we in the sky, instead of on the Sunny?"

It was then Sabo's turn to cock his head questioningly.

"The Sunny?"

Luffy looked at him, as if he was internally asking if he was an idiot, but answered anyway.

"My ship, the Thousand Sunny. She's the best! She has this awesome cannon that runs on cola! Y'know, the Sunny?"

Sabo thought back and then promptly smacked a fist into his palm, "Ah, so that's the ship's name!"

"Yep!" Luffy smiled brightly, but then looked at Sabo with an unreadable expression. "Yea, but seriously Sabo, why are we in the sky?"

The blonde grabbed the straw hat hanging off his little brother's neck and plopped it onto his head, chuckling.

"We're going to a special island!"

Luffy tilted his hat back to look at the elder, before lighting up.

"A MYSTERY ISLAND!"

It took a majority of the morning to arrive at the island, but Sabo couldn't really find it in himself to care. He was feeling great, it was really a relief to be able to catch up with his little brother, since he wasn't able to properly in Dressrosa.

Now, mind you, hearing about all the stunts his baby brother had pulled during his journey made Sabo want to simultaneously hit his brother and hug him, never to let him out of his sight again. The newspapers didn't even know the half of what Luffy had done! And he thought he had caught up during the two years the Straw Hat Pirates were absent. It was enough to give him a heart attack. Sweet Oda, Luffy could've died so many times and Sabo wouldn't have even known!

On top of all that, the events of Dressrosa not only raised his bounty considerably, making him a tempting prize for New World bounty hunters, but also turned yet another Yonko against him! He now not only had Big Mom after his butt, he also had angered Kaido by taking out Doflamingo.

And those Yonko were bad news. Kaido, the strongest beast in the world, possesses a huge Zoan army and attempts to kill himself as a hobby, since no one else could. The man's a monster! And don't even get him started on Big Mom. Her intelligence network is absolutely ridiculous in its span and impeccable technique, not to mention the Yonko herself being crazy as a loon.

It was a wonder that Ace wasn't completely grey-headed when he was alive. He had to have been wracked with worry around the clock…

Sabo sighed, and pulled his brother closer. Luffy had fallen asleep, snuggled against his chest, about three quarters of the way through Sabo recounting what had happened between his ship being blown up and becoming Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army. Admittedly, Luffy had stayed awake longer than he normally did. Luffy didn't truly care about what happened in someone's past, it was over and the person before him in the present was the result of that past. What's the point in knowing how they got there, when the "finished product," was in front of him? If he thought the person was a good person, he'd help them, simple as that. He didn't need a long, complicated reason to do so.

Luffy Logic boggled Sabo's mind sometimes, but he couldn't really argue with it. It made sense in its own way, and it is part of who Luffy is. He wouldn't change a single thing about his little brother.

The older male smiled softly down at the slumbering teen, then directed the crow they were perched on to land on the rocky outcropping that loomed over the island's single port town, just a few miles from the beach.

Upon landing, Sabo picked his brother up bridle-style and thanked the crows the Revolutionaries had allowed him to use. He watched them take to the air and double-checked the pocket of his pants to be sure he had his Den-Den Mushi for when he needed transport back to Baltigo. He could easily acquire a boat when he decided to bring Luffy back to the Thousand Sunny, if the Straw Hats didn't arrive first that is.

He went to nudge Luffy awake, but the young captain only grumbled and snuggled deeper into his chest. The elder couldn't help but give a goofy grin at the endearing action, so grateful that his little brother wasn't one for grudges and willingly affectionate, even with someone who had put him through the pain of 'losing' someone so early in life.

However, as content as Sabo was with the attention, he knew that Luffy wouldn't want to miss the chance to explore a new island.

The blonde revolutionary then jostled the teen in his arms a bit, trying to wake him up. A few pokes and prods later, the boys eyes cracked open and he yawned, blinking up owlishly at Sabo with sleep-blurred vision.

Sabo waited for Luffy to wake up fully before grinning down at him.

"We've arrived at the island Lu."

The straw-hatted captain instantaneously bounced up and out of the blonde's hold, eyes shining with anticipation.

"Then let's go!" The boy giggled and grabbed Sabo's hand, "Shishishi- I hope this island has lots of meat!"

The older brother could only laugh as he was dragged across the cliffside and into the dense vegetation lining the forest.

Luffy was in awe. He spun around and took everything in, eyes glittering almost as much as the plants surrounding the two.

"THIS. IS. SO. COOL!"

The elder laughed at his antics and gestured for Luffy to follow him.

"If you think that's cool, then check this out."

The young captain instantly follows his brother and quickly found himself in huge clearing, in the center of which was a vast lake that glimmered with all the colors of the rainbow. Willow trees line the edges of the crystalline depths, branches leaning far across the water and almost interlocking with each other, creating somewhat of a natural pavilion that allowed select beams of sunlight to dance across the water. The lake almost appeared to be glowing and Luffy couldn't help but release a shout of delight as he shot forward to kneel at the edge and look into the lake.

The glittering depths dazzled the straw-hatted teen for a moment, but his vision quickly adjusted and he gaped at the crystals lining the sandy bottom. The majority of the gems were blues and greens, but there was the occasional magenta and orange to mix it up. It had an almost mosaic-like feel and Luffy wished his nakama were here to see it as well. Ah well, he could tell them later. Brook would probably compose a new song in its honor or something. Maybe he could convince Franky to line the bottom of the fish tank with some…

He jumped back up and ran around the lake's edge for a bit before running about the meadow to examine the many bejeweled flowers that littered the grass. Kneeling before a flower, he sneezed as some sparkly pollen assaulted his nose and glared at the flower accusingly. His nose was covered in the glitter-like substance and he wiped at it, but only succeeded in smearing it on his cheeks.

Dang it…stupid, mystery flower. Its name is probably Flowey or something stupid like that cuz it's evil…

He sat there pouting for a bit, before bounding back to Sabo for a handkerchief to clean it off. Sabo only snickered a bit at his expense before handing over the cloth, only to take it back and clean Luffy's face himself, since Luffy only made it worse.

The younger male giggled himself, before thanking Sabo and running off to explore the area some more.

Sabo watched his brother warmly and kept an eye on the path that would lead them into town. Someone had to know how to get out of there because everyone knew that Luffy had no idea where he was going. One of his baby brother's many charms he supposed, but it was sure to get him into trouble one day. Then again, Luffy could always get himself into trouble, even if he was sitting still in a chair. Trouble is almost synonymous to Luffy as it is.

Well, it always lead to an interesting adventure at least. Besides, Sabo certainly intended to be there for his only remaining brother whenever Luffy needed him. Even if his recklessness could drive him up the wall with worry, the older of the two was confident that he would be able to keep the younger safe. In addition to his haki and training he received from Dragon, he now had Ace's Devil Fruit to further give him assistance. He had all the literal firepower he could want, now he just had to have the speed and skill for whatever situation came his way. Either way, Luffy would be safe. At whatever cost necessary.

He couldn't, no, wouldn't lose a brother again.

He leaned against the glossy trunk of a nearby tree and settled down. He took off his coat and top hat and carefully set them beside himself. He sighed and enjoyed the sunlight that warmed the skin of his face. It may be one of the only moments of the day he'll get to sit down. With Luffy's energy, he'll likely be running all over the place, whether it be with Luffy or to find Luffy.

The younger of the two marveled at the gleaming green glass and the sunlight that cast multi-colored lights throughout the vicinity. When he asked Sabo about it, all he would say was that the light was reflecting off the glass-like surfaces of the plants and that was what caused the "rainbow lights" that peppered the forest floor.

Luffy sprang around eagerly, climbing yet another sparkling tree and eyeing the gem-like texture of the fruit adorning it. Grabbing a nearby fruit, he leapt recklessly from the branches and landed on his feet in front of his brother. Poking at the glassy skin of the apple-like treat, he looked at the taller inquiringly.

"Hey Sabo…is it weird to you that we haven't seen a single animal yet?"

He didn't necessarily mean it as a bad thing, per say, but it was weird. He'd yet to see a single bug here! Forests generally were full of creatures, he'd think there'd be all sorts of cool ones here!

His blonde brother looked up at him from where he was reading a guide book, by the looks of it, and stood up to stretch. He rolled his neck and stretched leisurely, popping his back, and then put his top hat back atop his head.

"Nah Lu. They're likely deeper in the woods. We're only at the outer edge after all." He walked over and plopped a hand on Luffy's head, knocking the Straw Hat off to hang on his back by its string, so he could ruffle his raven hair.

Luffy grinned up at his brother, "Then let's go find them! I bet there's all sorts of cool stuff in here!"

Sabo smiled back, but shook his head.

"We should go into town Lu. It's almost lunch time and we don't know how many of the animals in here would actually be good to eat."

The smaller pouted, but relented since his stomach was completely agreeing with the lunch sentiment. Dropping his bejeweled fruit onto the ground, he followed the retreating back of his brother down the trail heading towards town.

Sabo couldn't help the bounce in his step as he led his brother down the path that led to the small town out beyond Caralampio Forest. The visit went over better than he expected and he was thankful for that. He really hadn't known what to expect, but the glimmering trees delivered well. It seemed the name fit it well, considering its effect on Luffy's already bubbly disposition. Despite never being to Kuniyuki Island himself, the guide book he had retrieved beforehand seemed to have accurate information thus far.

It seems this island indeed is perfect for his purposes. It's only fair that he does this for his little brother, he certainly deserves it and more for the twelve years he's missed.

Well, it may be a long shot, but he'll at least try.

He can the see the town up ahead, no more than a few hundred feet away. He smirks, Luffy will be so excited. Looking over his shoulder, the blonde does a double-take upon realizing his baby brother is no longer behind him. Oh crap.

The revolutionary spins around, instantly scanning his surroundings for the rubber teen. He's not anywhere. How did he miss his brother freakin' disappearing?! The blonde's heart rate picks up against his will and he can feel his mind border on panic instantly.

The New World is a dangerous place and with not only the World Government on his little brother's ass, but TWO Yonko AND whatever bounty hunter in the area, he knows the chances of Luffy getting in trouble are absurdly high. He knows his brother can fend for himself, heck, he has for years now (and Sabo tries his best to ignore the pang in his chest at the thought), but his brother is no more immortal than any other person. The huge X-shaped scar marring his chest is proof of that fact.

Sabo breaks into a sprint and hightails it into town, subconsciously using his Observation Haki to hone in on his brother as best he can, preferably before Luffy finds himself in any trouble.

Of course, should any bastard try something with his only baby brother, he can guarantee that the jerk would be meeting his flaming pipe, up close and personal.

It didn't take long to get to town, honestly. The rubber teen had set a steady pace and was quickly approaching a vine-laden bar that's sign claimed to have "the best drinks in town!" Not that Luffy really cared about that, he didn't like the taste of alcohol, but the delicious aroma wafting from the doors was more than enough to lure him in.

I should've probably waited for Sabo before rushing ahead like that…he's probably hungry too.

Just as the thought occurred to him, Luffy shrugged. Well, he'll catch up anyway. If I'm hungry, I might as well eat.

Looking back at his destination, he slowed to a stroll as he noticed a rather thick curtain of jeweled vines draped over the entryway of the establishment. Looking around, he realized almost all of the town was covered in greenery. It was like the town itself was being swallowed by the mystery forest from before.

The green complimented the overall pink hue of the town well, he had to admit, even if he wasn't much of an artist (according to Usopp that is). The paved roads held an alternating pattern of white and silver bricks, with the occasional crack caused by sprouting bejeweled plants. Shimmering plant life of all varieties adorned window seals and willowy trees lined the streets, providing shade beneath their pale, glimmering branches. The top of many buildings reminded the raven-haired male of the Sunny in a way, with the bright purples and pinks of the roofing tiles. All in all, it looked like the setting of one of the 'fairy tales' that Robin read to the crew in the ship's library on restless nights.

The predicament didn't seem to be bothering the inhabitants though, as the townspeople all seemed rather cheerful and well-off, if their clothes were any indicator. Not quite to the level of nobles, as the people still seemed like nice people, but better than Luffy's current outfit that consisted of a red cardigan, jean shorts, golden sash, and worn straw hat. It didn't bother the teen all that much, he was never one for social graces anyway. A curious note was that the majority of the people wore floral garb and many shop owners seemed to be decorating the outside of their stores with all sorts of pennants and flower wreaths.

Cocking his head, the captain went to go investigate, but didn't make it a step before a heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

Luffy froze, before being spun around and into a hard chest. He struggled at the constricting grip before relaxing against the owner's chest as an exasperated voice spoke up above him.

"Geez, I can't even leave you for two seconds before you run off."

The raven looked up and grinned at his big brother.

"Hi Sabo!"

The elder made a sort of pained look, before releasing the childish captain and ruffling his hair.

"You almost gave me a heart attack Lu! Don't just disappear like that!"

Luffy giggled, before agreeing. "Shishishishi- Sorry Sabo! I was hungry and it smelled really good in there."

Sabo rolled his eyes at the predictable statement.

Same old Luffy.

The teen gave the bar a longing look, which the blonde did his best to ignore for the time being. They really needed to find a place to stay, at least for the utilities… But Luffy then broke out the puppy-dog eyes and the blonde finally relented.

He never could really tell Luffy no anyway. The kid was too dang adorable, even as a nineteen-year-old. I guess that really made him the "softie," as Ace had put it, but what was wrong with doting on their only baby brother? Really, being brothers gave all three of them a reason not to hold back in doling out affection. It's not like they had guardians to give TLC as children, so admittedly, they were all kind of attention-starved (even if Ace wouldn't admit it). All they had was each other, at least back then; they had all found nakama out on the sea eventually. Despite Sabo's lingering grief over Ace's death, he was relieved to know that Ace had had a crew that really cared for him; that regardless of his blood, people (aside from Luffy and Sabo of course) were willing to risk their lives for him. Even with their separate adventures and new nakama now, Sabo was content to note that he knew that Luffy held a special place in his heart and he hoped to Goda that he had one in Luffy's.

Sabo was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the older tavern's food. While Luffy was still going strong, sucking up plate after plate of assorted foods (mostly meat), the Revolutionary had already finished shoveling an inordinate amount of food down his own throat and was gleefully entertaining himself with the other patrons reactions to the ever-growing mountain of plates beside the straw-hatted teen's seat at the bar.

The bartender was openly gaping at the scene, the mug of brandy he was pouring for another customer overflowing due to his shocked inattention. Sabo noticed a few of the more grimy customers starting a betting pool at the opposite end of the bar and snickered. Getting up from his stool, he strolled over to the group and put his own bet in. The gentlemen gave him a smug smirk, ignorant of the two brother's relationship, and the blonde could barely hold in his laughter when Luffy abruptly finished his 73rd plate and thanked the stunned bartender for the food, triggering a chorus of frustrated groans and curses from the group. Sabo pocketed his winnings with an innocent smile, a mischievous glint in his eyes, despite knowing it'd likely take a majority of the money to pay for Luffy's meal.

Sabo casually looked out of the tavern's window and upon realizing it was approaching mid-afternoon, threw a sack of gold coins on the bar and dragged his reluctant little brother back into the street. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, the younger of the duo piped up from his position slightly behind Sabo.

"Nah, Sabo. Where are we going?"

Sabo glanced back at the teen before beaming and pointing a gloved finger towards a colorful shop on the opposite side of the road. Silken fabrics were hanging inside an elaborate window display and a sign on the door proudly proclaimed that the store was open for business.

The smaller of the two's nose crinkled upon realizing it was a clothes store.

"Why are we going there? I have clothes!"

The blonde laughed, "Of course you do! But these are special clothes."

Luffy instantly lit up. He bounced on the balls of his feet in anticipation.

This island was just full of cool stuff! Once he got back to the Sunny, he'd just HAVE to bring his crew here! Nami would probably freak out about all the gems covering the plant life!

"You mean we're going to get mystery clothes?!"

Sabo pulled the guide book and a piece of paper free from his pocket, then extended them to the rubber teen. He hid a smile behind his hand as he watched his little brother get even more excited, if possible, as he unfolded the paper and read about the upcoming festival.

The revolutionary had planned that they get there the day before the festival. It was basically a huge annual party the island hosted to celebrate another successful year. Kuniyuki Island was renowned for its unique fruits and flowers, and sold crops to various royalty and specialized chefs throughout the Grand Line. The citizens were hard-working and as such, their island thrived.

Upon overhearing some of his comrades at Baltigo mention it, Sabo just knew what he could do to try and make up for all the years he'd missed with Lu. Not only years, but birthdays.

Birthdays he should've been there to celebrate with his brothers. Birthdays that Lu had suffered alone after Ace's death. It had been two years since Ace had passed, and Sabo knew from experience how hard it was to accept that he lived while someone he loved hadn't. Each birthday since that wretched war just served as a punch in the gut, a day that brought more grief than joy. Pain that shouldn't be there, not for his sweet little brother. Not when his baby brother had at least been there, unlike Sabo himself, not when he actually had to see Ace die. It wasn't Luffy's fault, but Sabo could bet that he thought it was.

Sabo hadn't been there that day. Sabo hadn't been there for his brother for twelve years. It was time he fixed that.

Luffy's birthday had already passed for the year, it had passed before the two brothers had reunited. It didn't matter to Sabo though. To Sabo, Luffy's birthday was a wonderful thing. It was another year his little brother survived, another year that Sabo had known Luffy. Sabo couldn't be more grateful for Luffy's existence. Without his beloved baby brother, he'd be all alone in the world. His brothers had been his only saving grace as a kid, that lonely noble child that had no one to care for who he was, but only what he could offer. Luffy kept him grounded and gave him a goal after losing Ace.

He would not only try to make those lost years up to his little brother, he would also work to turn Luffy's birthday back into a good day for the young teen.

He would protect Luffy, even if it was from his own feelings.

Upon entering the clothing shop, the duo were practically attacked by a peppy salesgirl.

"Hello! Welcome to the Kinuyo Family's Clothing Store! We specialize in kimonos and yukatas that are absolutely perfect for tomorrow's Harvest Festival! Do you have anything in mind?"

At the end of her sudden tangent, the girl smiled widely at the two males, hands on her hips. Her hair was a bright mint green, tied up in pig tails that clashed strikingly with her orange work shirt. Her aqua eyes shone with eagerness as she waited expectantly for an answer.

Luffy just stared blankly at the girl, while Sabo made an effort to smile back courteously. To be honest, the enthusiastic greeting was the last thing the blonde expected from the sleepy-looking store. Just as he was formulating a reply, a voice rang out from the direction of the back of the store.

"AKINA! YOU'RE NOT SCARING OFF THE CUSTOMERS ARE YOU?!"

A middle-aged woman hobbled out towards the group near the door, placing a hand on the now sheepish girl's head, as she turned to address the newcomers.

"Sorry if Akina surprised you, she's a bit…overenthusiastic about finally helping out in the family store."

Akina, whom, upon further inspection, seemed to be around 13 by Sabo's estimate, looked at her mother and glared.

"DAMN RIGHT I'M ENTHUSIASTIC! I've been wanting to help you and papa out in this place for years! Why I- OW!"

The girl's rant was cut short as she went to hold her head where a new bump was forming, courtesy of her fuming mother.

"KINUYO AKINA! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT VULGAR LANGUAGE?! I'VE TOUGHT YOU BETTER THAN THAT!"

The greenette only pouted, with tears in her eyes, before looking to the ground.

"Whatever."

And the blithe answer only set off another round of bickering.

Sabo, despite finding slight amusement in the family's little squabble, decided then to cut in. He could see that Luffy was getting bored, as his chocolate brown eyes had glazed over and he was tuning out the argument to stare at the shop display in the window, and he knew a bored Luffy could be a destructive Luffy. He'd probably go mess with a mannequin and break it or something.

So, he coughed politely and addressed the irritable little girl, mentioning that he and his brother were interesting in looking at the silk yukatas.

That's what they were there for in the first place.

Akina spun to face the brothers anew, ignoring her mother, and beamed at them. It was an instant switch, as if she had just forgotten the brief argument had happened at all.

"Of course! Follow me!"

With that, she set off, dragging the two behind her and left her mother to go occupy the till at the counter in the front of the shop.

A good half hour later left the brothers with two new yukatas for the festival the following day. The salesgirl from before, Akeema if Sabo remembered correctly, had agreed to wrap up the garments and leave them in the back room for pick up the next day. Sabo had selected a simple royal blue one, with accents of black and a twisting silver dragon across the back. Luffy had picked out the brightest red yukata the shop had, decorated with a koi pattern in black tread, complete with a gold obi.

The younger had insisted that the koi reminded him of a fish dish that Sanji made on special occasions and Sabo decided to take his word for it, despite knowing that the cook probably wouldn't cook with koi fish.

The blonde revolutionary currently led a compliant Luffy by the hand in search of a place to spend the night, since his plan to find one earlier on had been so ruthlessly shattered by Luffy's abrupt disappearance. He gripped his little brother's hand tighter, he wasn't making the same mistake twice.

"Shishishi- Sabo's hand is warm."

Glancing at the short teen, a small smile formed on his face at the happiness in the raven's expression. Luffy noticed his look and beamed at him, adoration apparent in the lines of his face, causing the older to blush, not used to such blatant affection after twelve years devoid of it. It filled his chest with a fuzzy warmth, a warmth that even overpowered the natural heat of his inherited fire.

Sure, it was an emotional moment when he finally reunited with his brother at the colosseum, but the massive threat looming over the heads of both his fellow Revolutionaries and the Straw Hat Pirates effectively preoccupied his mind enough to keep himself stable. He hoped his brother didn't take his nonchalant attitude the wrong way, it wasn't like he hadn't desperately wanted to hug his brother back or anything.

It was just…he was barely keeping it together as it was that day.

In the span of a few hours, he had found out his little brother was in Dressrosa and was also in a precarious situation with the powerful Warlord, Doflamingo. He could barely believe his brother was there at all, especially in the same time frame and location, and not knowing how said baby brother was going to react was nerve-wracking. He had honestly thought Luffy would punch him. He felt he certainly deserved it…so the relief upon his brother's immediate acceptance and affection was overwhelming. He could hardly keep himself from breaking into tears as well and one of them needed to be the stable one.

So all he could do was choke out the one thing he wanted to say most, thanking his brother for living, for surviving, but he was running out of time- so he cut the reunion short, allowing his brother to go save his nakama and himself to win Ace's fruit back.

Sabo sighed. That was in the past though, there wasn't anything he could do about it now. All he could do now was try and be a better older brother. Luffy deserved nothing less.

Luffy looked at his brother and his smile waned, just enough for the casual observer to miss it.

Sabo had that faraway look in his eyes again.

Luffy found he wasn't all that fond of the look. Whenever Sabo drifted into that distant state, he just seemed…sadder, regretful. And that wasn't something that should be on Sabo's face. Even if Sabo wasn't able to be there for Ace's speech about living a life of no regrets, it was certainly something Sabo should listen to anyway. Luffy himself fully believed in that philosophy, not doing anything half-way or restraining himself. It was all or nothing. He absolutely refused to allow himself to regret his actions or adventures. For Ace, for himself…maybe that was selfish, but he didn't really care.

Sure, he had one regret he could never forgive himself for. Maybe it was hypocritical, but he couldn't help it. Failing to save his brother, failing to save Ace, was the one regret that would haunt him for the rest of his life, regardless of how Ace would hit him for it and insist it wasn't his fault, that Ace "only did what he wanted to" and he "wanted to protect him"- It wasn't something debatable for Luffy and he only hoped that Sabo was able to forgive him for that failure.

Shaking himself free from the negative thoughts, Luffy scanned the street, looking for something to snap his older brother out of his daze.

Spotting an inn across the street, the younger began pulling on his brother's sleeve with his free hand, trying to get his attention.

Sabo had mentioned something about finding a place to spend the night, right? Well, he found one!

He tugged harder on the jacket's sleeve, but his brother barely twitched. Getting frustrated with the blonde's lack of response, the younger huffed and resorted to desperate measures.

The shorter snatched his hand free of Sabo's, despite not really wanting to (the attention was nice dangit!) and extended an arm to nab the top hat from his brother's head. Luffy was absolutely sure that the action would garner a reaction, if someone stole his straw hat he'd blow a fuse.

As expected, the blonde didn't disappoint.

Sabo reacted instantly, hand automatically reaching for his head and squawking out a sound of protest. Sabo's blue eyes sought out and zoned in on the stolen hat and goggles. His eyes narrowed on the smaller of the two and made a grab for the hat in Luffy's rubbery grasp.

Luffy snickered, an impish glint in his eyes and danced out of the way.

The blonde sighed and locked eyes with the teen. The two stood there in an intense stare-down for a few seconds, then the elder spoke up.

"Luffy, give me back my hat."

The younger of the two stuck his tongue out childishly, "No way!"

And then dashed off.

Sabo gaped in disbelief and then broke into a sprint after the captain.

"LUFFY NO! GIVE ME BACK MY HAT! WAIT UP, C'MON!"

Leaning against the brick wall inside the alleyway, Luffy allowed himself a breather.

Sabo was quicker than he had initially thought.

Grinning in victory, the rubber teen held up the top hat and tapped at the worn goggles at the base of the hat. He smiled fondly at them, enjoying the rush of nostalgia at the sight of them.

Looks like Sabo remembered more about his past than he thought he did.

The hat was too new to be from their childhood, not to mention the size of it, but the sentiment still held fast for Luffy. It was nice to think that his brother's amnesia wasn't as complete and final, that even if he didn't fully remember until Ace had di- passed on, his brain was subconsciously making connections to his childhood.

Luffy stood up and dusted his hands off on his shorts, then plopped his straw hat on his head from where it was hanging at his neck. He gripped the top hat firmly in his right hand, then used the rubbery grip of his left to bungee up to the roof of the buildings lining the alley.

It wouldn't take long for Sabo to catch up. Once he actually got a hold over his emotions and actually thought it out, he would be able to track Luffy effortlessly with his Observation Haki. So Luffy needed to head back in the direction of the inn before his brother caught up.

Nodding to himself, Luffy began hopping from rooftop to rooftop, ignoring the bewildered stares of onlookers, concentrating on maintaining his speed.

"There you are!"

The sudden voice and flash of heat had the straw-hatted dodging a gloved hand with a speed that rivaled Gear Second and dashing ahead.

"BLOODY HELL!"

The yelp sounded from behind him, no doubt from surprise, and Luffy sped up, hurriedly leaping to the next roof as he glanced back at the blonde revolutionary cautiously. He didn't want the chase to get to the point that it tried his big brother's near-saintly patience.

He blinked, looks like his brother also had the idea to use his devil fruit. Fire shot out from the soles of his boots, propelling him forward in a way that reminded Luffy of Smokey at Loguetown. The blonde's expression had morphed from the amused exasperation from earlier on in the chase to a serious determined. His brother meant business.

Which meant Luffy had to get to the inn right quick. Hopefully the relief of finding a place to stay would balance out his brother's irritation. At least he wouldn't punch him. Probably.

Luffy evaded yet another swipe for the top hat clutched in his hand and jumped from the rooftops to the ground, in an attempt to throw his brother off. He spotted the inn within seconds of reaching the ground and rushed towards the entrance, dodging stunned pedestrians.

He giggled.

They must not be used to people hopping off of roofs around here.

The thought that the citizens may not be used to such blatant displays of Devil Fruit powers didn't even occur to the young captain.

The teen threw his arms forward and snagged some sparkling vines that had wrapped themselves around the wooden pillars that decorated the inn's front stoop, rocketing through the front doors into the lobby, his brother (literally) hot on his heels. Luffy skidded to a stop, grinning up at his panting older brother who snatched his hat back semi-irritably.

Sabo placed the top hat on his head neatly and adjusted his ruffled cravat that had loosened during the impromptu dash through town. The older of the two stared sternly down at Luffy and raised an eyebrow, aware that they had lost time to find overnight accommodations.

The younger's wide, brown eyes stared up at the other blankly, not looking the least bit repentant for the wild goose chase he had started.

Sabo sighed. As much as he loved his baby brother, sometimes he couldn't make the slightest bit of sense. He had no idea what went through his head! What on Oda's grand ocean possessed Luffy to steal his hat?

The two continued their silent stare-down until Luffy burst out laughing. The sudden strands of laughter were infectious and soon the blonde found himself laughing along, ruffling his little brother's hair viciously, and knocking his straw hat back to hang by its cord around the rubbery teen's neck.

"Y-you should've seen your face Sabo! You looked so surprised when I jumped off that window ledge! An-and flowers just went everywhere!" Luffy gasped out, clutching his side.

Sabo's face colored, but he responded playfully.

"Oh please! YOU were the one who squawked like a turkey when I grabbed your leg! I've never seen you flip in midair like that!"

The two continued trading banter for a good five minutes until all the laughter was out of their systems and the blonde straightened, looking around the lobby until he found a sign cheerfully welcoming "valued guests."

Sabo's gaze switched to Luffy in surprise, wondering if their location was a coincidence, but was answered promptly by the younger's blunt statement.

"You zoned out again." Sabo blinked, unaware that Luffy had picked up on it and allowed the other to continue. "I tried to snap you out of it to show you the hotel, but you wouldn't listen to me."

The elder instantly felt guilty, but before he could answer his little brother's unasked question, Luffy brightened.

"So, I figured if I stole your hat, you'd snap out of it!"

Luffy beamed up at him. "Pretty smart, huh?"

Sabo returned the look, dragging Luffy into a hug that the teen happily reciprocated.

"Yea, Luffy. Very smart."

Sabo booked a room with the clerk behind the reception desk, who hadn't bothered to comment on their odd entrance, and was directed to take the stairs up to the second floor where their room was.

The revolutionary thanked the young woman with a polite tip of his top hat, then herded his rowdy younger brother up the stairs, pacifying Luffy with the promise of food once they checked out the room and washed up.

"But Saboooo- I don't wanna take a shower! I want meat!"

Sabo rolled his eyes at his brother's whining.

"I know, I know, but we both need to get cleaned up. Not only have we flown here, we've also been in the forest and running through the streets." Sabo paused to run a hand through Luffy's tangled black hair, then showed the teen the small leaves and soil in the palm of his hand.

"As you can see, you do indeed need a shower. No proper restaurant would let either of us in like this."

The revolutionary could feel the light layer of grime that coated his face with slight disgust, aware of his own less than savory condition. He was well aware of the weakening qualities of water on a devil fruit user from his own experiences after eating the Mera-Mera no Mi, so he could sympathize with Luffy's reluctance, but he wouldn't cave on this one.

Sabo, for one, was tired of feeling grimy. He had had to do without his preferred level of hygiene while seeking out the Straw Hat's ship for a few days beforehand as it was. Now that he had his brother in tow, Luffy would just have to deal with bathing.

The younger pouted, but relented, knowing it was the only way he'd get meat anytime soon. He hadn't had his weekly bath yet anyway.

Sabo smiled in satisfaction with Luffy's rare complacency and pulled out the key the clerk had given him for the room as they arrived at the dark oak wood of the door. He glanced at the golden door marker.

Room 275, how quaint.

He inserted the key and unlocked the door, allowing Luffy to walk in first. He chuckled as the first thing Luffy did was jump on the bed, much like a little kid would. Ah, what was he kidding, Luffy practically was one.

Sabo shook his head with a fond smile and strolled in, closing and locking the door behind him. He had felt no need to rent out a big room with two beds, it wasn't like he and Luffy hadn't shared a bed before. As children, both had slept in a pile with Ace on the floor. They were only staying a night or two, close-quarters were never an issue for the two.

The revolutionary looked around the room. It was quite modest with only a table, chair, bed, and washroom, but still fairly nice. A window adorned the far wall, allowing light to permeate the room, as well as provide a clear view of the street. The walls were a pale blue, with white trim and the bathroom contained the essentials in a pristine porcelain. Overall, pretty homely and comfortable.

Sabo was actually happy that Luffy had found the small, family-owned inn to stay at instead of a grand hotel. Not only was it cheaper, it also allowed the brothers to keep a low profile. Even within the sleepy town, they both were rather big criminals and this place was a popular tourist destination. A World Government agent could very easily be here like they were.

As much as he had brought Luffy to enjoy himself, he didn't want the adventure to put both brothers in danger. Nothing would ruin a 'vacation' more than being captured or hurt.

That reminded the blonde, he should probably don a more low-key attire. In fact, both of them should. If nothing else, have both Luffy and himself leave their trademark hats in the room. Luffy's straw hat was a big part of his moniker and while a top hat was much more discreet, especially in a well-off town like this, he knew Luffy wouldn't leave his hat if Sabo didn't leave his own.

Sabo shed his jacket, gloves, and top hat, then placed them on the table. He leaned his pipe against the wall, then stretched. Yawning, he walked across the room to join his brother on the bed. He sat on the edge, allowing Luffy to sprawl across the majority of it and hesitated on how to explain to his brother why he should leave his beloved straw hat in the inn.

He could sense Luffy's inquisitive stare boring into the back of his neck, but tried his best not to react. He had to phrase it in a way that would convince his little brother, who also happened to be one of the most stubborn people he knew.

"Hey Lu…"

"Yea?" The raven perked up and met Sabo's gaze when the blonde turned around.

"You know that we're in the New World, right? That means that, potentially, there could be some dangerous people around that'd know who you are and could want to hurt you." Sabo tried to explain, but Luffy only laughed.

"Well sure, but I'm a lot stronger now! Much stronger than when we were kids! I'll just kick their butt!"

Sabo sighed in exasperation, he expected that answer. He knew his brother was a lot more reliable strength-wise now, but it didn't mean that he didn't worry him with his recklessness. They had already pushed their luck earlier running around town.

"Yes, I know. But we don't know what we could be up against. I don't want to risk it. I'd be devastated if anything happened to you, Lu."

Not that he'd let anything happen to Luffy. Anyone that tried it would have hell to pay. That was beside the point though, there was potential that something could happen when he wasn't around to stop it. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if Luffy was hurt while he was bringing him here to make up for all the years he wasn't able to be there, to have fun and reconnect, to bond.

Luffy frowned. He didn't want Sabo to have to worry about him. He had trained so he could take care of himself, so he could protect others, not the other way around!

Sabo continued on, seeing as Luffy was silent this time in response to his statement.

"So, my plan is that we wear disguises so that we wouldn't risk being attacked. It doesn't have to be too drastic or anything, just maybe leave our hats here and wear a new shirt or something."

Luffy nodded now, unhappy that he'd have to leave Boshi in the room, but understanding what his big brother was getting at. He had had to do the same thing to blend in at Dressrosa after all. If it'd keep Sabo from worrying, then he'd go for it.

The young captain grinned at the taller male.

"Okay! Me and my crew had disguises at Dressroba, it shouldn't be too hard to do the same here."

Sabo returned the grin, relief flooding through his body at his brother's acceptance. Thank Oda, he thought it'd be a lot more difficult than that…

"Good. In that case, you go take a quick shower and I'll go buy ourselves some type of disguise."

Luffy nodded affirmatively, though a bit reluctant to subject himself to water, but he'd deal with it for Sabo. And meat. His stomach growled loudly.

He was really looking forward to dinner.

Sabo ducked out of the lobby, feeling a bit off without his normal assemble. It was a weird feeling to not be wearing his gloves or hat in public, not to mention being without his pipe.

Not that he needed his pipe to fight. It was his preferred weapon and fighting style, but he could certainly fight without it just fine. It stood out too much in the crowd of civilians anyway.

Glancing around, the blonde revolutionary spotted a clothing shop just a few buildings down from the inn. How convenient. He strolled towards it at a casual pace. It shouldn't take too long to get in and out of there. All he and Luffy really needed were a few shirts.

As careful as he was, and he'd certainly keep an eye out for any trouble, he doubted that he or Luffy would be recognized in the town. It may have been a foolish assumption, but he really wanted the rest of their excursion to run smoothly. He was one of the Revolutionary Army's best scouts, had to be as Chief of Staff, and he had yet to see anything that set off alarm bells, so he deemed the island safe.

He had researched Kuniyuki Island thoroughly beforehand, as he wanted the trip to be both interesting and safe for his reckless younger brother and by all means, it seemed a perfectly peaceful isle with little marine activity. It was so deep in the New World that most marines rarely were able to reach the area in the first place, but that also meant that anyone that did show up would be no pushover.

Sabo rubbed the back of his neck and released a tense breath. Good grief, he was starting to sound as paranoid as Ace was. He supposed it came with watching over Luffy. It'd all work out.

The tall man reached the shop's entrance and ran a hand through his hair before walking in. He nodded politely to the elderly man behind the counter before wandering over to the clothing racks, sifting through to find something for his brother and himself to wear.

It took only a few minutes of browsing for the older brother to find something he deemed suitable, a dark grey dress shirt for himself, and a green vest with a vine design for his brother. Hopefully, the vest would also do a good job of covering the huge scar on Luffy's chest, but of course, that required that Luffy decides to button it. Sabo could only hope that his baby brother would go along with it.

Making his purchase, the blonde thanked the shop owner at the counter and exited the store.

Now that he had successfully found something to wear, he could finally clean up as well and grab a bite to eat. His stomach released a loud growl at the thought, snagging the attention of a few of the civilians, one of whom wandered up and offered him directions to the nearest restaurant. Sabo laughed and thanked the kind middle-aged lady for the help, but explained he was going to meet his baby brother to do that exact thing.

At his admission, the lady gushed over how nice it was that Sabo was looking out for his little brother and that "not many kids these days take responsibility for their young siblings" and the like before pushing a small package of cookies from her bakery into his hands. He tried to insist that she keep them, but she just laughed before bustling away.

Sabo shook his head with a mirthful smile before slipping the package of cookies inside his shopping bag. Well, if nothing else, he could give them to Luffy for a snack to tide him over while Sabo took a quick shower.

With that thought in mind, Sabo put on a burst of speed before he could be stopped again and hustled back to the inn, intent on bathing and grabbing some dinner.

The brothers exited the eatery they had dined at in contentment, after having inhaled an obscene amount of food to the shock of the chef, who seemed to take it as a personal challenge and whipped up dish after dish at record speed for the two to devour. Not that Sabo was complaining, he got a heck of a lot more food than initially ordered and upon the chef finally declaring he was bested when Luffy was still going strong after the 80th plate, the two got their food on the house.

It seemed that the spectacle garnered enough attention from the public that it brought the restaurant more business and allowed the brothers their free meal. Luffy had fallen asleep after eating his fill, not that Sabo was surprised, it was really late. So Sabo ended up carrying him out, after politely thanking the poor staff that had to try to deal with their insane appetites that evening, to which they replied with tired waves, but also with happy smiles on their faces.

What a nice town.

The blonde adjusted his hold on his baby brother, the green of Luffy's vest stood out starkly against the elder's grey dress shirt, but it mattered little to Sabo. He was just happy that Luffy was willing to wear it after being forced to part with his straw hat at their room in the inn. Besides, he hadn't meant for his brother and himself to match, just get something they would be willing to wear later.

Reaching the inn, the elder shifted Luffy from his arms onto his back so he'd be able to open the door before entering the building. Sabo walked over to the couch in the lobby and set the rubber teen down on it before attempting to wake him.

As much as Sabo didn't mind carrying Luffy, he was surprisingly light for how much he ate, he knew that he needed to wake him so they could both get ready for bed.

A few gentle shakes later, Luffy blinked awake.

"Hnng, Sabo?"

Sabo smiled down at the boy.

"Yep! I know it's late, but we need to get back to our room so we can sleep. You can do that, yeah?"

Luffy managed a sleepy nod before standing up, wobbling on his feet a bit, and then heading up the stairs. Sabo kept close behind him, in case he fell, even though he knew it wouldn't hurt Luffy's rubber body.

Reaching the room without incident, Sabo steered his half-asleep brother to the bathroom where it seemed the cleaner's had left disposable toothbrushes for the guests alongside a small tube of toothpaste. The older handed the red toothbrush to Luffy, taking the blue for himself and smeared toothpaste on the bristles.

Sabo went to begin brushing his teeth, but noticed that Luffy was just standing there, staring off into space, hand gripping the toothbrush loosely.

He must be really tired, huh?

Sabo laughed quietly under his breath before grabbing the other's toothbrush, then set to work brushing both of their teeth, the drowsy Luffy leaning against the other's hard chest.

Gosh, I haven't had to do that since we were kids. It really brings me back…

Sabo finished the task quickly and left Luffy with brief instructions to wash his face while he went to lock the door and prepare the bed. He could hear the tap run in the bathroom, so he assumed that Luffy actually listened to him.

Sabo crossed the room to twist the key into the lock before setting it down on the table. Sabo removed his jacket and hung it on the back of the chair before sliding off his black boots and sauntering over to the bed. The blonde hummed softly to himself as he slid back the red, slightly moth-eaten quilt and the white sheets, then fluffed the two pillows. Leaning back to admire his work, he smiled in satisfaction before returning to the washroom to find his brother drying his face with a towel.

"Alright Lu, you can head on to bed if you want. I'll catch up with you in a minute." As he spoke, he gestured to the main area of the room.

Luffy blinked and then smiled sleepily, before murmuring a good night and shuffling out the washroom.

Sabo could hear the rustling of sheets and his baby brother's snores start up almost immediately, causing him to chuckle before grabbing a wash cloth from the small, wicker basket beside the sink. Starting the tap, the fair-headed male soaked the cloth in water, then lathered it with soap and washed his face. He looked into the small mirror and ran a finger along the burn scar marring the skin around his left eye. He had never quite gotten used to seeing it there. In the past, all it symbolized for him was the accident that caused him to lose his memories, memories that were precious and had helped shape him into the man he was to this day. However…now it almost felt right that he had it. In a way, it matched his brother, Luffy's, scar. Their scars not only symbolized the battles they had fought, enemies they had overcome, but also the loss of something precious.

For Luffy, it was Ace and his confidence (thank goodness at least that loss was temporary). For Sabo, it was his memories and by extension, his brothers. In some sick way, it seemed like Outlook had gotten his way, at least partially, separating his heir from the "demon boys" of the trash heap.

Sabo sighed. Well, there was no use in dwelling on the past now. It would only affect his rest negatively and he needed to have all the energy possible to keep up with Luffy tomorrow. Besides, if something's off about his attitude, Luffy would pick up on it. The last thing he wanted to do was upset his brother.

He ran a hand through his hair to get it in some semblance of order and yawned.

Gosh, I'm beat. I had almost forgotten just how taxing running around with Lu could be…

Sabo wandered back into the main room and snorted as he saw his brother's vest thrown on the floor carelessly. He picked it up and folded it neatly before setting it on the tabletop, then blushed when he realized just how much of a mother hen he had to look like at that moment.

Ah well, taking care of a little brother like Luffy had to make him like that. Despite how messy and goofy and utterly irritating his baby brother could be, there was just something endearing about him that made you not really mind all the hard work that came with dealing with him. Something about the little ball of sunshine made everyone whose heart's he had invaded willing to go to hell and back for him and Sabo certainly wasn't an exception.

Smiling warmly, Sabo stripped down to his boxers and hung the rest of his clothing with his coat on the back of the single, wooden chair beside the table.

The elder then slipped under the covers alongside his brother and was amused to see Luffy instantly latch onto his midsection, snuggling into his chest for warmth. Sabo ruffled his brother's hair and simply accepted his fate. Once Luffy latched on, you were going to have a hell of a time getting him off.

So, the blonde simply hunkered down and wrapped an arm around his brother's waist. If nothing else, he got a free insulator for the night, despite knowing that he hadn't had to bother about the cold since he ate the Mera-Mera no Mi and he was just trying to justify cuddling with his baby brother.

He shoved the thought to the back of his head. He had missed Luffy dammit! Cuddling was perfectly ok, even if they both were a bit old for it. Nodding to himself, Sabo closed his eyes.

He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.

Upon opening his eyes that morning, the first thing Sabo noticed was that his body had gotten significantly heavier and he was currently reduced to an oversized teddy bear. Glancing down, the blonde saw a head of dark hair tucked under his chin and thin arms looped multiple times around his torso. His baby brother had entangled his legs with Sabo's own during the night, and Sabo's hand currently resided within the ebony locks atop his brother's head, curled protectively. With both arms locked in place by the rubber coils and his body entangled with his brother's as it was, the taller man was thoroughly and utterly stuck.

Sabo didn't really mind the arrangement, it was actually pretty comforting and it caused a fuzzy feeling to blossom in his chest, but a glance at the window told him that it was about mid-morning and the festival began that evening. He wanted to give Luffy plenty of time to roam the town before the festival so he could get the exploring out of the way before the festival began.

The only problem was how to escape Luffy's hold without having to resort to physical violence.

The older brother sweat dropped before cautiously tugging at Luffy's arms. They stretched pliably and conformed to Sabo's hold, allowing him to start to wriggle out of the suffocating hold. He carefully pulled his hand free of Luffy's fluffy dark hair and quietly began the process of untangling his legs. He had only managed to get about halfway out of the rubber cocoon before Luffy seemed to realize that his human heater was escaping and his arms snapped back and tightened their grip on the taller male.

Sabo almost groaned out loud in frustration, but held the sound in, since he wanted to scout out a place to eat breakfast before waking his brother up. He'd cook himself, but he lacked the resources, so he had to resort to eating out. It didn't really matter where the food came from after all. Nothing could motivate his brother better than the promise of food, especially when he was sleeping like a rock.

Which he was.

Sabo went to grab the rubber limbs to, once again, begin the long process of prying himself free and wasn't surprised to note that the once lax grip was now like steel. Luffy was practically a cuddling monster, he'd take whatever affection offered and wouldn't part with it until he was good and ready to. It was an adorable trait really, much like a kitten, but at the moment, it was serving as a major inconvenience for the older brother.

"Dangit Lu, I know you are enjoying the hugging and all, but it'd really be dandy if you'd let go." Sabo huffed and forcibly tugged himself free of the grip, audibly popping free. He practically flew off the bed to land in a heap on the floor, flustered, but free.

He sat up and rubbed at his head, glancing at his brother to see him still sleeping soundly, sprawled across the bed.

The Revolutionary stood to stealthily exit the room, before abruptly crashing back to the floor as he ungracefully tripped on the end of his pipe that had been left on the floor the night before.

"BLOODY HELL!" Sabo squawked.

Then he abruptly froze from his position on the floor as a sleepy voice called out from the bed.

"Sabo..?"

Well shit.

Sabo slowly turned to face his brother, a sheepish grin on his face. The younger of the two sat up and rubbed at his eyes, an action that the blonde couldn't help but find adorable (it was like a kitten!), then cocked his head.

"Why're you on the floor?"

Sabo stared blankly at his brother for a moment, before answering.

"No reason."

If the serene smile that spread across his little brother's face was any indication, Luffy clearly believed the elder's statement.

"Okay."

Oh sweet Oda, I had forgotten just how naive Luffy could be. The blonde thought with incredulity.

The moment was cut short, however, when his younger brother's stomach let out a roar.

Luffy immediately slumped on the bed, grasping his stomach with one hand and Sabo laughed aloud at the predictability.

"Sabooo- I'm hungry!" The teen whined. "This isn't the time to laugh!"

The blonde stifled the laughter as best he could, only releasing a snicker here and there, and nodded.

"Hai, hai. We'll go get some breakfast."

Luffy whooped with joy and sprang from the bed. He was clad only in his shorts, and he snatched up his hat, now with a new black, cloth covering, the green vest and sandals before running into the bathroom, yelling something about his bed hair.

Sabo smiled fondly after his brother and grabbed his own clothing to change into.

He doesn't ever change.

Ten minutes later found the two walking the streets outside the inn, scoping out a restaurant for breakfast.

It seemed that the two were out pretty early for the town's standard, as there were not many residents lining the sidewalk. The blonde revolutionary kept a sharp eye out for potential threats, despite feeling well at ease with the town. He'd rather be safe than sorry.

Luffy was humming cheerily and Sabo could vaguely pick up the words "idiots" and "islands" murmured under his breath in time with the song. He was semi-curious and was about to ask about it when a certain bejeweled tree a distance away caught his interest.

There wasn't anything particularly remarkable about the tree, aside from its size and the silvery sheen to its leaves, but something about it drew his eye. The tree was squished between two rather extravagant houses and its canopy loomed over the two, differing balconies with a vengeance, as if angry with the houses that were boxing it in. The location wasn't too far out of the way, but even with the larger part of the population awake by now, most passed it by without a glance. It looked as if a plaque of some kind was adorning one side, as sunlight glinted off of it differently in comparison to the majority of the sparkling plant, and he felt the urge to investigate.

Sabo nudged his brother. "Hey Lu, let's check out that tree over there."

Luffy made a sort of a disgruntled face.

"A tree? But there's a whole bunch of trees here." He gestured towards the town surrounding the two. That also happened to practically be half-vegetation as it was.

The elder nodded once and was about to reply when a sweet smell permeated the air. Luffy instantly began looking for the source, his stomach growling hungrily. Sabo watched warily as the raven straightened stiffly.

Before Sabo had the chance to ask, he was yanked off his feet, being gripped by the wrist as Luffy locked in on the source of the delicious scent. The rubber captain charged forward without hesitation.

"FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOODDDDDDDDD-"

The revolutionary was gracelessly dragged along, his undignified shrieking ignored by the rubber teen.

"A LITTLE WARNING WOULD BE NICE YOU KNOW!"

"LUFFY, BE CAREFUL!"

"YOU ALMOST CRASHED INTO THAT GUY OVER THERE, LU!" The blonde screeched, in a panic. His little brother could get hurt with all that bouncing around. Upset the wrong person, get attacked by some marines that were called in and boom! Little bonding trip ruined. How could you enjoy an island when it was up in flames?

His silent prayers were answered when Luffy screeched to a stop in front of an ancient tree. Sabo couldn't help but admire the irony.

"Lu, this was the tree I was talking about." Sabo commented.

The other looked at him, shocked. "Ya could've just said so!"

The blonde stared.

"I tried to." He deadpanned after a moment.

Luffy just laughed. "Nah, but Sabo! You could've just said it was the one that smelled good!"

Sabo opened his mouth, about to correct him. There were no flowers on the tree, how could it smell good? It was then he noticed that the sweet scent from before was indeed wafting from the tree in front of them.

He looked up into the branches incredulously. "What in the world?"

Among the branches, Sabo could make out an intricate treehouse, with a purple-tiled roof and gold accents. The door was open and the revolutionary could make out a sign cheerfully announcing that the bakery was open for business.

Luffy had already peered around the large trunk of the tree, finding a rope ladder partially hidden by vines. Sabo hesitated for a moment, but upon looking back at his brother, saw the monkey was already halfway up the tree.

He blinked, then gave up. Guess that was where the brothers were getting breakfast.

Sending fire to his heels, the older brother flew up and landed on the porch with a clack. He walked in the door just in time to see a startled waitress trying to usher a ravenous Luffy back to the entrance, undoubtedly thinking he was there to rob the place, if her expression was anything to go by.

Schooling his features into a look of polite charm, the blonde strode up behind the pair and calmly explained to the waitress that the two were there for breakfast and meant no harm, flashing a small pouch of belis to show that they could pay for the meal.

She blushed at the charming smile and visibly calmed, leading the brothers to a booth and placing menus in front of them before hurrying away with only a single stutter.

Luffy had already begun chattering away about the food, excitedly pointing out item after item that he'd like to try, but Sabo just stared blankly at the menu, willing his temper to simmer down. His features were a mask of gracious indifference, but he was inwardly seething.

How could anyone think for even a second that his sweet, bumbling little brother was a lowlife thief?! Sure, the teen had had his string of eat-'n-runs in the past, but it did not mean he was a violent criminal. In the eyes of the government and ignorant citizens maybe, but that was simply because they were exactly that. Ignorant. They had no idea about the rubber captain's good qualities, how he could light up a room or cheer up a person without knowing it. How he was willing to fight a tyrant or save a country for something as simple as thanking a person for some food. Practically everything the teen did, consciously or not, was to help another person and Sabo couldn't help but sneer at the fools who thought so lowly of his baby brother.

Consumed by his angry thoughts, the revolutionary didn't notice his brother's sudden quiet, but he did notice the gentle embrace that wrapped around his body.

"Sabo's upset again." The younger mumbled softly.

The blonde's deep blue eyes studied the boy for a moment, before sighing. He couldn't stay mad now. Luffy had such a calming effect on the raging storm that was the ex-noble's emotions when he got worked up. He had really missed that from their childhood.

On the rare occasions that Sabo and Ace truly fought, the rubber boy would go to each individually and just hug them, murmuring about how much he loved his big brothers and that the two "still loved each other, right" and should make up soon. He didn't like seeing them upset. It wouldn't take the older brothers long before they would cave and forgive the other over whatever the issue was.

Luffy had a point. Shouldn't they value their relationship as brothers over whatever the petty squabble was over?

So, Sabo cooled down and dotingly ruffled the younger's hair before happily diving into the debate about which muffins to pick and whether they should take donuts back to the inn for later.

After having wolfed down their late breakfast, noon found the two wandering the street, chatting amiably. Luffy was perched on the taller man's back, piggy-back style, and seemed to be enjoying every minute of it, having whined for a good five minutes (pssh- thirty seconds) to get his way. The rubber teen could tell, that despite his big brother's show of reluctance, Sabo was enjoying the arrangement as well. It really brought back memories.

"Sabo! Don't you think that the bakery was kinda like our treehouse?" Luffy asked, peering over the blonde's shoulder to look at the side of his face.

His brother glanced back and let a nostalgic smile slide over his lips, softening his expression.

"Yea." He hummed. "It was well-built, but ours was cooler."

Luffy laughed, the unique sound bubbling over the area and agreed. He rested his head on Sabo's shoulder.

"Nah, Sabo?"

The revolutionary continued looking forward this time, keeping his strides smooth as he walked the now-familiar streets towards the inn, but answered evenly.

"Yes Lu?"

The raven's smile was blinding. He looked like he was about to say something, but paused. The smile waned. He wasn't sure if now was the right time, so he settled for saying nothing.

"Ah- never mind."

The blonde regarded him with a sideways look for a moment, before letting it go.

"Alright, Lu."

The two had had a productive day, enabling Luffy plenty of time to explore the numerous shops that lined the streets of the town. The majority of the locals were very welcoming and obligingly provided plenty of samples for the cheerful rubber man, much to Sabo's relief.

He was well-aware that the grabby teen could grate on shop owners especially due to his curiosity and clumsiness at the worst of times. It wasn't a rare occurrence for Luffy to inadvertently knock over a display or break an item when he was younger, and that had nearly gotten Sabo, Ace, and Luffy caught when stealing from the stores in High Town, which led to many close calls with the guards. They got out of it, obviously, but it did make getting in harder over time.

Sabo himself had managed to slip away for a few minutes into a nondescript bakery when the younger raven was distracted by the flashy show one man at a hotdog cart was putting on. Somehow, when Sabo reappeared a few minutes later, it seemed Luffy had managed to wheedle a hotdog out of the vendor.

Luffy had even had his fun swinging around atop the higher buildings by the bejeweled vines and trees that grew around town, much to the shock of bystanders. When Sabo had noticed the amount of attention the spectacle was getting, he had quickly retrieved his brother and set back towards a less populated area.

After the streets outside became packed with locals, all clambering to decorate their homes and shops respectively for the festival that evening, Sabo decided that then was a good time to retire to their room for the remainder of the afternoon.

The two now lounged in their room at the inn. Luffy was sprawled across the bed, head in Sabo's lap, as the blonde flipped through his book, absently running a hand through the younger's ebony locks.

Luffy smiled up at his brother and the blonde returned the sentiment with a soft look.

The younger hummed absently, listening to the pages flip every few minutes. He shifted and slowly a pout formed on the raven's face.

Sabo glanced back at his younger brother when he felt the shift and sat patiently. He had a feeling he knew what was eating at his brother.

His thoughts were confirmed with Luffy's next statement.

"I'm bored." The rubber captain said petulantly.

The revolutionary honestly wasn't surprised. His brother had always been one for action and the taste of adventure that the boy had gotten when he set out to sea had turned into a raging thirst. Being out at sea allowed the teen to be active at almost every moment, whether it be from a sudden monsoon or an attack from a bunch of marines. It was odd for the kid to be still at all on a normal day, so this calm town must be a bit of a bore for Luffy, despite all the sights.

Sabo thought it over a bit, then realized that they could venture back to Caralampio Forest. They had only checked out the lake and outer rim of the forest last time, they could travel deeper in and pass time there until the festival began.

He voiced the idea to Luffy, whose happy shout was obviously an answer enough. Sabo watched his brother spring up and grab his sandals. The blonde then stretched and put on his own jacket, the black material dark against his grey dress shirt. After a second of hesitation, he also grabbed his pipe and gloves. There was no telling what kind of animals may be hidden within the forest and he didn't want to be unarmed, despite being perfectly capable of fighting with his bare hands. He looked longingly at his normal outfit and top hat, but knew the importance of a disguise with both his and his brother's status as wanted criminals. Besides, even Luffy was obediently leaving his beloved straw hat and wearing his green vest.

Sabo grabbed the room key and placed it in his jacket pocket, then called out to his brother.

"C'mon Lu, let's go!"

"Un!"

Upon entering the forest, Luffy got the distinct feeling that something was watching them.

Thinking himself paranoid, naturally he ignored it and ran throughout the forest, looking at everything and anything, taking in the beautiful scenery. The forest truly was like a dream world, with everything glimmering and light illuminating the greenery. Sunlight speckled the forest floor in a vast array of colors and the deeper they ventured, the more magical everything appeared. Though Luffy had noticed a few strange markings on a few trees that looked a whole lot like claw marks sprinkled in between the jeweled trees. It made him wary, but the overall splendor of the place drowned it out so absolutely that he just ignored it.

They were exploring the forest for an hour and nothing had happened, so Luffy assumed it was nothing. Of course, the feeling hadn't disappeared despite his rare attempt at reasoning it away. In fact, it had only intensified the longer they stayed.

The last time he had been here, he hadn't detected the existence of any animals at all, but now there was a lingering presence that pressed in on the brothers. He glanced at Sabo, but the blonde didn't seem like he noticed, or if he had, he wasn't worried.

The lack of reaction from the revolutionary made Luffy feel a bit silly, but he couldn't shake the feeling, even as he bounced around. He was used to following his gut, his instincts were a force to be reckoned with, but if Sabo wasn't worried, then he supposed he didn't need to be. Spotting a tree with a distinct blue sheen, Luffy leapt towards it, thinking that the color was similar to his brother's eyes.

Maybe he'd like a leaf from it or something.

Luffy extended a rubber arm and gripped a branch, slinging his body up into the branches. He giggled at the cloud of glittering pollen that rose with his landing, covering his hair with a blue sheen. He crept up the trunk, using each branch as leverage, and approached a particularly sparkly blue flower near the top of the tree.

He could distantly hear Sabo's voice call up worriedly, hearing none of Luffy's general exclamations of wonder, but ignored it, so focused was he on retrieving the flower. The flower glowed with an almost ethereal light and was rather big, sitting right at the top of the tree. It seemed almost like it was asking Luffy to pick it. It wasn't until he actually touched the petals that Luffy realized something was off.

There was a rumbling, then a blur leapt out of the blue (A/N: Heheh x'D), pouncing towards Luffy. All he felt was a sharp pain in his shoulder, before he hit the ground, pinned by a…blue tiger? He was glad that he was made of rubber, as the fall only knocked the air from his lungs, whereas the force would've been enough to crack a few ribs on a normal person. The massive beast was easily as big as the Tiger Lord from Dawn Island, but with two tails, long teeth, blue fur and navy stripes. It snarled down at Luffy, its eyes flicking from the blue pollen coating the boy's black hair to the blue flower atop the tree and back to the captain's face.

So, this was what was following us all this time…

Luffy swallowed, momentarily too dazed to do anything, much less kick the tiger off his person.

It turned out he didn't need to when an angry exclamation was heard and the tiger went flying with a haki-laced pipe to the face. Luffy could see the tiger crash back into a tree, obviously stunned, before the frantic face of his brother filled his vision.

"LUFFY! Oh my Goda, are you okay?!" The taller blonde hovered over the rubber teen, hands twitching towards the wound on Luffy's shoulder that was oozing blood, but never quite touching it.

Luffy sat up, hissing at the stinging sensation in his shoulder, before grinning easily at his brother.

"I'm fine, I've been through worse. Don't worry about it."

Luffy could see that Sabo was uncertain. It was one thing to know about past wounds and that they happened, but a complete other thing to see someone you cared for injured right in front of you.

Before either of the two brothers had a chance to say anything more, a deafening roar sounded and the two sprung apart, just as the tiger landed where both had just been. It looked near mad with anger, ticked beyond belief at the hit from before, but not seriously injured.

Apparently the beast was rather durable. It reminded Luffy of the animals he fought on Rusukaina Island over his two year training period. He grinned, it wouldn't be too much different. He knew he could beat it.

Before Luffy had a chance to move, a flare of heat at his side drew his attention just in time to see Sabo charge the beast, his pipe covered in flame. He smacked it hard and it growled, before swiping at the blonde with a clawed paw. The paw hit, but the tiger lurched back and let out a hiss of pain as fire burned the appendage. It waved the paw in an attempt to put out the flames, and growled at the blonde.

Sabo's face was contorted with anger, obviously far from done and wanting to teach the tiger a lesson for daring to attack his brother. Flames licked at his shoulders and head, hands tense and curled into claws of his own. His face was dark and eyes merciless. He meant business.

Sabo and the blue tiger exchanged blows, with the blonde man dodging and parrying the snaps and swipes aimed at him. He may be made of fire, but he didn't want to over-rely on that power. He was obviously trying to size up the animal's threat level. The tiger then leapt at the blonde, far from done and Sabo took it on, raining down blow after blow with his pipe. When he got within range, he used the opposite hand to grab a tail, crushing it mercilessly as the tiger howled in both agony and rage. It swiped at the blonde with the other tail, catching him off guard and knocking him into the blue tree. He sat still, trying to catch his breath while the tiger crouched, fully intent on spearing the older male with his claws.

However, Luffy wasn't about to willingly just sit back during a fight and shifted to Gear Second. He shot towards the beast, delivering a haki-imbued Jet Bazooka to its chest causing it to crash back into the tree line, leaving broken trees in its wake. Its massive size was enough to topple a tree easily as it was, and the added force was enough to crack five thick trees and send them to the ground.

Luffy stood proud in the newly created clearing, blood dripping down his chest from the wound in his shoulder, eyes alert and staring after the beast, waiting for it to reappear. The redness faded from his skin and his observation haki stretched out, but didn't feel any movement coming from the tiger. It was likely unconscious or dead at this point, practically flambéed from Sabo's previous beat down before Luffy dealt the final blow. The thought brought saliva pooling in his mouth, thinking of the numerous meat dishes possible with a tiger that size.

Sabo rushed over to the teen, grabbing the younger and beginning to look him over further injuries. Luffy rolled his eyes and tried to insist he was fine, but the blonde was adamant that he'd make sure his baby brother was okay. Luffy huffed, but stilled and allowed his overprotective brother's inspection.

The only other injuries the boy suffered, aside from his shoulder that still bled heavily, was a slight cut on the cheek and a few scrapes from his descent from the top of the blue tree, but was none the worse for wear from the scuffle.

Speaking of the glimmering blue tree, Luffy looked to the top hopefully, but was disappointed to see that alongside multiple broken branches from his fall and claw marks from the massive beast they'd just brought down, the flower was mangled from the impromptu rough treatment.

He sent a glare in the direction of the felled tiger.

Stupid tiger…I was gonna give that flower to Sabo!

Before he could even begin to dwell on it, he was interrupted by the feeling of being lifted into the air. Luffy let out a squeak of surprise, finding himself folded into his big brother's chest. The rubber teen made an attempt to escape the bridal hold, insisting that he could walk and that he "didn't need to be babied dammit!"

It was only an injured shoulder, there was no need for Sabo to carry him like this!

But the blonde only ignored the younger's sounds of protests, tightening his hold to prevent Luffy's attempts to escape and beginning to walk down the trail to leave the forest.

Sabo was frustrated. For once though, not because of something Luffy did, but rather something he didn't do. He should've been able to sense that tiger's presence earlier. He should've paid it mind, because if he had, then Luffy wouldn't be hurt!

The revolutionary looked down at the rubber teen in his arms, who was sporting a rather dominant pout, though Sabo knew he'd insist that it was a scowl. The injured shoulder in question still bled, which worried Sabo. That amount of blood loss couldn't be good for his brother. The tiger's claws must have dug in deeper than he had initially thought. It wasn't exactly spurting blood or anything, so the claws hadn't hit an artery, but the raven's tank top was soaked through around the wound, making the light green darken to an off-putting shade of brown. As it was, the blood was also leaking into the blonde's dress shirt, making it slick on the skin of his chest which brought on a roll of nausea in his gut. He was used to the sight of blood, it was a natural consequence of fighting, but it was much more disturbing when it came from his baby brother.

His quick steps hastened, until the blonde was dashing along the trail, keeping his gait smooth as possible with the assistance of his fire that lifted him above any imperfections in the trail.

It wasn't too long before the exit loomed in front of the blonde. He smiled at the sight, before glancing down at his brother who had fallen silent sometime after realizing Sabo wouldn't yield. Sabo's smile twisted into a worried grimace at the sight of the pale face and dazed chocolate orbs of his little brother. He looked out of it and it made the elder feel the first twinge of real fear in his chest since Burgess's attempted assassination in Dressrosa. He tapped at the younger's face, trying to get a reaction, but was dismayed when the teen didn't so much as twitch.

Sabo could feel his hands start to shake with suppressed nerves and sped up even more, if possible. He knew he had bandages in the room at the inn, he had left them in the bathroom, hidden with his transponder snail. Now it was just a matter of getting there.

He swallowed down his anxiety and clutched his brother tighter to his chest before leaping onto the rooftops upon entering town. He didn't want anyone stopping him for a game of twenty questions or tripping up on the various decorations for the festival when he had his injured baby brother to care for.

Spotting the inn just a few rooftops away, the tall male leaped to the ground, ignoring the shocked gasps of civilians he nearly landed on. He skidded to a stop in front of the lobby, kicking the door open and dashing up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He reached their room in record time, and shifted Luffy to be cradled against his chest with one arm, while the other reached for the key in his jacket pocket. He pushed the key into the lock and turned it before wrenching the door open.

He slammed the door shut behind him with a booted foot before stepping into the washroom. He set Luffy on the toilet seat, then rummaged around in the cabinets surrounding the sink. Finding what he was looking for, Sabo carefully slipped the raven's vest off and threw it to the floor. He grabbed a wash cloth from the towel rack and wet it with water from the tap before dabbing at the blood coating the younger's shoulder. He carefully cleaned away the blood from the wound, before grabbing a small antiseptic wipe from the pack the cleaning staff had left. He didn't have any rubbing alcohol or disinfectant, so he'd have to make do. He wiped at the claw marks, causing a hiss of pain to emit from Luffy. The blonde sighed in relief at the sound, at least it was a reaction. Sabo smiled reassuringly at his little brother and grabbed the roll of bandages, wrapping the younger's shoulder.

Luffy rolled his shoulder experimentally before smiling, albeit a bit shakily, at his older brother, still a bit out of it from blood loss. Sabo ruffled his hair and set to cleaning up the other small scrapes and cuts littering his brother's skin.

He finished swiftly and went to put away the bandages, throwing the soiled washcloth into the sink, intending to turn the tap on and let it soak to try to remove most of the blood from the fabric. Grabbing the green vest from the floor, then glancing at his own grey shirt, Sabo knew that the two weren't salvageable. The only thing that they were good for now was the trash bin. Guess their regular clothes would just have to do, possible marines be damned. Sabo turned to exit the bathroom, but was halted by a tug on his sleeve. The handsome blonde peered over his shoulder at his little brother, quirking an eyebrow.

The younger stared into his blue eyes resolutely before grinning.

"Thanks Sabo!"

Sabo returned the look whole-heartedly, his previous guilt lessened now that his baby brother was safe and bandaged.

"No problem Lu."

At the insistence of Luffy, Sabo found himself on the way to the Kinuyo Family's Clothing Store to pick up their yukatas for the festival that evening.

The festival would be beginning soon, if the assorted booths and lights were anything to go by. Sabo couldn't help but be impressed by the dazzling display and the delicious scents already wafting from the snack stands.

Luffy will really enjoy this. This is just up his street.

Sabo smiled at the thought. Aside from the unplanned scuffle in the forest, the vacation of sorts was going well if he said so himself. He felt a twinge of guilt in his gut, reminding him of why this was important in the first place. Not only did Sabo want to reconnect with his brother, he really wanted to make him happy, and having him injured while in Sabo's care put a wrench in that plan.

Well, actually, Luffy himself didn't seem to care. He was just as happy as before and would've gladly joined Sabo in picking up the yukatas, if Sabo hadn't made him stay at the inn to rest. The blonde had left his little brother pouting, but he knew he'd get over it pretty quickly, especially when they went to the festival.

No, it was Sabo who was upset about the incident. He only wished that he had stopped Luffy before he went to climb that tree or, if nothing else, had smacked the tiger silly before it had a chance to attack either of them. He had good haki, he should've seen it coming! It wasn't like the chief of staff to be caught off guard, but he had ignored the niggling sense of being watched, thinking the source would back off naturally from the powerful haki both brothers emitted. But he was wrong and he regretted it.

Sabo nodded to himself. He'd be sure to spoil Luffy silly at the Harvest Festival.

The blonde stopped at the entrance of the clothing store, mentally bracing himself for a minute before walking inside.

It was just the same as before, except the girl from before didn't assault Sabo's ears and a wreath of the island's flowers hung behind the counter. He heard a shuffling to his left and turned just in time to see the middle-aged woman who owned the place hustling over, a pleasant smile on her wrinkled face.

"Hello sir! If you were looking for Akina, she's already at the Harvest Festival. She's handed out cloth samples for the store tonight."

Sabo shook his head and mirrored the older woman's expression.

"Oh no, don't worry about that ma'am. I'm here to pick up the yukatas I purchased yesterday."

The lady looked like she was trying to recall, before she lit up and clapped her hands together.

"Ah yes, you were the young gentleman who came with the dark haired child the other day! Hold on a moment, I'll go fetch them from the back."

With that, the lady hustled towards the back of the store.

Sabo blushed, he supposed he did look the part of the charming gentleman the other day, with his top hat and smart outfit, complete with ruffled cravat. He only made a sound of confirmation and settled back against the counter to wait.

It didn't take more than five minutes for the saleslady to return with two parcels. She handed them to Sabo, who then thanked her and gave her a few belis as a tip. She threw a hearty "thank you" after the revolutionary as he walked out the door, to which he responded with a wave.

It was time to get ready for the festival.

Charming music filled the air and locals bustled along the booths that lined the street. Colored lights and paper lanterns hung from tree branches and the roofs of each stall, the light glinting off the glimmering greenery. The warm firelight illuminated the crowd's features, allowing the many silken kimonos and yukatas to shine.

It was a beautiful sight, paired perfectly with the warm night.

Sabo watched his baby brother tenderly as the dark-haired youth bounced around, eagerly taking in the sights and gathering little souvenirs that the older male cheerfully bought for him. The wooden sandals the blonde wore clacked along the ground as he dutifully followed the younger male. Luckily for Sabo, Luffy had picked out a red yukata that made it easy to keep an eye on the energetic captain.

Sabo's own yukata matched his blue eyes and only served to highlight his handsome features. His golden hair worked well as a contrast for his ocean blue orbs and his healthy tan attracted a heightened amount of attention. The elder brother had already been approached by many a young lady that night, but had politely refused their attention, explaining that he was attending with his little brother. Of course, the girls only cooed at the information, but Luffy always provided a quick save because of his tendency to run off. All it took was an "I've got to find my brother" and a courteous goodbye to escape the unwanted affection.

Sabo hummed contently, strolling over to where Luffy was pointing excitedly at yet another food item.

"Ooohhh- Sabo, look at this!"

Sabo leaned over his brother's shoulder to observe what seemed to be grilled fruit on a skewer. Before Sabo could comment, the vendor jumped in, proclaiming that he had the best grilled fruit on the island. He excitedly explaining that it was a local delicacy, made of the finest bejeweled fruit the island had to offer.

Sabo was amused to note that at the word "best," Luffy's eyes had lit up and it appeared like sparkles surrounded his vision. The dark-haired teen was instantly sold.

All it took was Luffy giving Sabo the puppy-dog eyes for the blonde to pull out his wallet and hand some gold coins to the vendor, taking two kabobs from an ornately decorated basket beside the grill. Sabo handed one to his brother and kept one for himself.

Luffy grinned up at the elder as they walked away from the booth.
"Thanks a bunch Sabo!"

Sabo ruffled his hair. "It's nothing, Lu."

The two walked side by side, munching on their kabobs. Luffy had finished his with gusto, leaving a sticky residue on his cheeks that Sabo dotingly wiped away with a handkerchief he pulled out of seemingly nowhere. Not a minute later, Sabo finished his own kabob, throwing the wooden skewer into a trash bin.

He continues to peruse the rows of vendors when a hand tugging at his sleeve stops him. Sabo looks down at Luffy, whose looking a bit nervous all of a sudden which caused the elder to quirk an eyebrow. The older male crouches down to Luffy's height, taking in the little scar under his eye, glowing tan skin of his face and wide eyes that look to the side.

Sabo has no idea what's wrong all of a sudden, so he puts on a comforting smile to try to calm his brother.

"What's up, Luffy?"

The rubber captain says nothing for a few moments, making Sabo's stomach tighten in worry. Is his shoulder acting up? Is it bleeding again and he just didn't notice? Would they need to visit a doctor?

The blonde narrows his eyes at the shoulder, giving it a quick inspection, but he can't see any blood darkening his brother's yukata. His blue eyes glanced back up to the teen's face inquiringly, but it seems like he didn't need to repeat himself because Luffy was already opening his mouth.

"Hey Sabo…can we talk for a minute?"

Was that all? Sabo's unsure smile stretched into a relieved grin.

"Of course Luffy. What is it?"

But when Luffy looked into his eyes seriously, the smile dropped.

"I mean in private somewhere."

Sabo was startled by the intensity in his normally goofy brother's face, but nodded wordlessly, grabbing the younger's small hand with his own and leading them out of the brightly lit attractions to a small grassy alcove in the town's outskirts the blonde had discovered the day before during their impromptu game of "hide 'n run."

Sabo could openly admit that he was nervous where the conversation was going. As far as he could tell, the two were having fun at the festival and he wasn't sure what brought about the change in mood.

Unless…maybe Luffy really hadn't forgiven him for not being there for him or Ace? Perhaps he blamed Sabo for not staying to see him after his fight with Doflamingo? Maybe there was a hidden bitterness for having to suffer Ace's death alone those two years he was separated from his crew, when he knew Sabo could've sought him out?

All the "what if's" circled in his head, causing his heart to sink like a stone.

He was well aware that he shouldn't even be considered Luffy's sworn brother anymore, considering how he had forgotten both of his brothers for ten years and hadn't even realized it until one of them was freakin' dead and the other traumatized.

However, he knew if he heard it from Luffy himself, he'd fall to pieces.

Luffy skipped along, happy to be hanging out with his brother. He was grateful that Sabo had made the effort to find him so they could talk. He had a feeling there were things that needed to be said.

He had thought it over in the inn while Sabo had went to pick up their yukatas. He wanted to thank Sabo for all he was doing for him. He really appreciated being able to see him again after Dressrosa. They hadn't had the time needed to catch up then, but they were able to now, even if he had fallen asleep part way through Sabo's story.

Bleh, he couldn't help it. He was sleepy!

Also…he really needed to apologize for what happened to Ace at Marineford. He hadn't been able to save Ace and so…well, Sabo couldn't help that he lost his memories, but Luffy could've saved Ace then. He should've been able to make his body move, exhaustion be damned! But, he hadn't and he had failed and now Ace was dead. Now both Luffy and Sabo was short one brother and it was all Luffy's fault.

Nothing had to be worse than remembering your brothers only to realize you'll never see one again. So, Luffy was resolved to let Sabo know he didn't need to stick around due to obligation. He understood if Sabo never wanted to talk to him again.

So, Luffy put a brave face on and pulled on Sabo's sleeve. The moment his brother actually looked at him though, Luffy's façade crumbled and when Sabo's face twisted in worry before forcing a smile, the raven knew he had screwed up.

Well crap.

Luffy decided that if Sabo already thought something was wrong, then there was no use in trying to act normal again, so he grit his teeth and asked if they could talk.

Once Luffy was able to force the word "alone" from his mouth and Sabo's face became grim before leading him off, the rubber teen was certain that the conversation was happening now and there would be no more beating around the bush.

No matter how much he wished he could.

Sabo sat down and patted the space next to him. Luffy looked at the other unreadably before sitting in the spot indicated, pulling his knees up to his chest. The two sat in silence, hidden safely from observers by the overgrown plant life.

Sabo looked at his brother anxiously, he didn't know what to say to start the conversation, considering he had no idea what to expect from it. He opened his mouth, but Luffy beat him to the punch.

"Thanks for all you've done for me, Sabo."

Sabo's mouth snapped shut and he sent a quizzical look at his brother, not used to such heavy speech coming from his brother. It sounded almost…final. Like he expected not to see Sabo again.

The blonde let out a nervous laugh, reaching up to ruffle his brother's head.

"It's no prob-"

"-But you didn't need to." Luffy cut in and Sabo's hand froze.

He slowly lowered his hand back to his side. Luffy sounded almost…cold. It was very unlike the happy-go-lucky teen Sabo knew and he didn't quite know what to make of it. Actually, he was lying. He had an idea and it caused his stomach to drop.

He really did blame him, didn't he?

Sabo felt his stomach curl and he could feel the hurt bubble up in his chest, even though he really couldn't blame his brother for the sentiment.

Luffy looked like he was choking on nails when he continued in light of the elder's silence.

"I'm sorry."

Sorry? What was he sorry for?

Sabo asked the question aloud this time, completely baffled about what Luffy was getting at.

Luffy made a pained face, but answered anyway.

"I know you want to fulfil Ace's last wish, when he protected me, but I get it if you don't want to. It isn't fair to you, you have your own life and your own nakama, so don't…don't waste your time on me. It was my fault that Ace died that day, so…so, I'm sorry."

Sabo was astonished to see tears welling up in the raven's eyes. His heart hurt for the other and he leaned over to embrace his little brother. He was appalled to hear Luffy blaming himself for what Ace decided to do and Akainu carried out.

"Lu…no! It wasn't your fault, don't you dare think that I'm protecting you out of obligation! You're my little brother, my only little brother! You've got it wrong, it was me that should've been there!" Sabo grit out, clutching the younger to his chest. He could feel his eyes burn with tears and he buried his face into Luffy's uninjured shoulder.

The raven's face was one of disbelief. Tears dribbled down his cheeks as he babbled.

"But-but Sabo! I was there and he was right in front of me! I should've been able to save him, I already had, but- Sabo, he was right there!" He shrieked, before breaking down completely, sobbing into the elder's chest and clutching at his big brother with shaking hands.

"How could you possibly be happy that I survived when it's my fault that Ace died?!" The teen bawled.

Sabo yanked the younger back from his chest to look him in the eyes, his own hands tense and shaking.

"Luffy- Lu, no. Never say that. I meant what I said when I thanked you for being alive back in the Colosseum. It would've broken me if I had lost both brothers in that terrible war. No, I'm sorry for not being there. I hadn't been there for ten years, I missed so much. I never got to see you grow up, or celebrate a birthday, or even hear your voice. If anything, it was my fault for not being there that day. I was your big brother too, I should've been able to protect both you and Ace."

Luffy stared at the older in shock as tears leaked from Sabo's eyes.

"I wasn't even there to help you mourn! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Luffy!" The blonde wept, bringing Luffy back into an embrace. Suddenly, their positions were swapped as Luffy rubbed Sabo's back, trying to comfort the other, even as tears saturated his own face.

The raven spoke up meekly. "…I don't blame you Sabo. I'm glad you're my brother, I had missed you."

At the sweet words, Sabo let out a sort of hiccupping gasp and pressed the younger tighter against his chest, curling a hand protectively into Luffy's fluffy hair.

"I missed you too." The older blonde choked out tearfully.

Thank you Luffy.

When the two were able to pull themselves away from the other, laughing and crying, the air felt a lot clearer. Their yukatas were dirty, the tops soaked through with tears and the bottom covered with dirt from the ground they had sat on.

"Geez Sabo, I-I thought I was the crybaby. You should see your face!" Luffy said with a watery laugh.

Sabo reached out to wipe a rogue tear off the raven's face tenderly and let out a chuckle of his own.

"Oh please, how can you call me the crybaby? You cried so much it soaked the front of my yukata!"

The younger had the decency to look sheepish.

"Shishishi- sorry Sabo!"

Sabo laughed and stood up, pulling Luffy up with him.

"Don't worry about it. You've done a lot worse, like steal my hat, you little knucklehead!"

The rubber captain beamed up at his blonde brother.

"But you love me!"

Sabo shook his head in amusement and brought the teen into a tight hug.

"Of course I do."

He released the other just as quickly and swept him into his arms, feeling lighter than he had in years.

"C'mon Lu, we're going to miss the fireworks!" He shouted, then shot off like a bullet, Luffy giggling out his agreement.

The fireworks popped in brilliant displays of color, bright pinks and oranges lighting up the starry night sky. Sometimes a blue or green mixed it up and stood out vividly against the warm colors, prompting a sound of amazement from the distant crowd.

Sabo and Luffy currently sat under a silvery tree that practically glowed from the reflections of the light show, a little ways off from the rest of the festival-goers. Both Sabo and Luffy gave sounds of appreciation with each new burst of light. At one point during the show, the elder brother actually got so into it that he attempted to imitate a large orange firework with his own flames. It didn't quite look right, but it got a laugh out of Luffy, so he continued until he tired, plopping back to the ground with a grin.

The final firework finally burst, scattering sparks and the crowd gave a great cheer, Sabo clapping and Luffy joining right in with the rest. Sabo snickered at the display, before gesturing for Luffy to stay under the tree while he went to retrieve something.

Luffy's big, brown eyes gazed after his brother quizzically. The teen was curious, but figured he could wait a little bit. It's not like he had somewhere to be.

It wasn't ten minutes before the revolutionary reappeared, flashing into existence in front of the raven with a swirl of fire. Luffy jumped at the sudden entrance, but quickly zoned in on what the blonde held in his hands.

"A cake?" He questioned, eyes flicking between the cake and his blonde brother, who only smiled serenely.

"Try looking closer." The blonde suggested, a hint of teasing in his voice as he came over and sat beside his little brother.

Luffy looked closer and took in the cake. It was covered in white icing with pink and red accents. There was an image of a skull and crossbones hidden within the colors, if he looked at it closely, and strawberries decorated the edges and sides. Smack in the middle, between the decorative icing and fruits, were the words "Happy Birthday Luffy" written in a curving font in black icing.

The rubber teen looked back up at his big brother with an amused smile.

"Shishishi- Sabo, it's not my birthday!"

Sabo gave him a long look, before setting the cake down in front of them and leaning back on his hands. His smile stretched into a warm grin.

"I know. This is to make up for all the ones I missed."

Luffy looked at him in disbelief, before his eyes misted over and he flung himself at the blonde, wrapping his arms around his chest in coils. Sabo was quick to reciprocate, running a hand through the younger's black locks soothingly as the younger's shoulders shook minutely.

"Thanks Sabo." Luffy sniffled into the taller male's front.

"No problem Lu." Sabo said softly.

Anything for you little brother.

The cake sat forgotten in front of the two that hurt, but were healing. A flickering warmth passed the two by, ruffling through their hair minutely.

Such is the bonds of brotherhood.

They never truly break.

A/N: OH. MY. GOODNESS. That went sooooooo much longer than I thought it would! Here I was thinking, "oh my, the plot bunnies have attacked, better make a small 5K one-shot to appease them" and I end up with a 40 page beast of a story! How?! HOW?!

; v ; This took me a week to write because I kept getting distracted. /shame on me

Ahem- anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this wonderfully fluffy fic. It was pretty much completely self-indulgent, but I can't help it, those ASL brothers are such sweet little cinnamon rolls and I have to write about them! I had a general idea where this fic would go, but then it just got a mind of its own and forced me to write more. (If only that urge would come back while I'm trying to write a multi-chapter fic that's been in the works for a while-!)

uvu Well, feel free to fave or review if you enjoyed!

(P.S. Please don't massacre me if there's some grammar errors, I don't have a beta to iron those wrinkles out for me!)

~ Strange-Moonlight-Charm