"Thank goodness for best friends. For true friends, the ones who love you no matter what."―Laura McNeill
Ace was stuck; it was as simple as that. A huge-and I mean HUGE- part of him wanted to run to the forest that was so calling his name but another part of him wanted to stay here. Ace saw the trees edging the village, they were the trees he had grown in, had fought in, and had hated himself in. He wanted to show Luffy his life, even if it wasn't as bright and cheerful as what Luffy probably thought it was. As much as the nagging feeling was there another had started to form, one that might have been much stronger, he just didn't know what it was or how to make it stop.
"Ne Ace, you're making a funny face again." Luffy said observing his older brother worriedly.
"It's nothing…" Ace muttered to himself turning his face away from Luffy as Makino brought plates of food from behind the bar.
"Here you boys go." She said kindly placing a large plate each in front of them.
"Wow!" Luffy said looking at all the food happy to eat something he didn't have to kill. Their grandfather had made them fish for their own meals and cook it themselves; he called it training or something like that.
"We don't have any money Miss Makino." Sabo said sadly looking at the food only to get a laugh from the lady.
"Of course you don't! Don't worry about it, I'll make sure Garp pays up before leaving so eat as much as you like." She said kindly to them making Luffy cheer happily and Ace grin but Sabo shook his head.
"You have no idea what kind of trouble you've gotten yourself into saying that." He laughed only to get a small chuckle from her.
"Who knows…" She said leaning on the counter looking at the straw hat that was sitting proudly on Luffy's head.
"With the looks she's giving Luffy I'd say he might beat you on winning her heart." Sabo whispered to Ace who blushed furiously at his words.
"Like Luffy has any chance." He scoffed causing Sabo to laugh louder.
"So you finally admit your feelings." He smirked as the blush spread from Ace's face to his ears.
"Shut up.." He said grabbing a fork full of food and stuffing his face.
"What are you guys laughing about?" Makino asked to them giving them a small smile. Ace turned his face away embarrassed and Sabo gave a smile at her.
"Just an inside Joke between brothers." Sabo said finally causing Luffy to groan in annoyance.
"Then why wasn't I involved?!"Luffy hated being left out because he was 3 years younger than his brothers.
"I'll explain the joke to you later Lu." Sabo said to his brother causing Ace to panic giving Sabo an incredulous look.
"Like hell you will!" He shouted
"Now Ace, don't be mean to your brothers." Makino scolded causing Ace to shut his mouth, cross his arms and pout a little turning his head to the side.
Sabo was having the time of his life, who knew teasing Ace could be such fun. He couldn't wait to tell Thatch about this little development.
"Whatever" Ace said annoyed with his brother but decided to mention his plan. "I was thinking guys that tomorrow we could go see the bandits." Ace said to Sabo and Luffy. Luffy gave a confused look but Sabo smiled softly at Ace.
"It's been a while hasn't it? I wonder how they are…" Sabo and Dadan hadn't gotten along that well but he couldn't say they didn't get along either.
"Oh? Are you boys from this island?" Makino asked curious about the brothers in front of her.
"Sabo and I are from the Goa area of this island." Ace said to her before looking away quickly.
"I'm not from here at all. I'm from the Grand Line." Luffy said to her with a small smile missing his home and his Ma.
"You've lived on the Grand Line your whole life?" She asked hearing stories about how crazy that ocean was.
"Yup, this is the first time I've ever left home." Makino was looking at the straw hat once again a small smile forming on her face and a light pink to her cheeks.
"It's getting late, why don't we head back to the ship and call home?" Sabo asked Luffy noticing the sad look that he was trying to hide.
"Sure." Luffy chirped excited now to call home.
"You guys stop by tomorrow morning before you leave and I'll make you a lunch to bring with you" She said watching them stand up before placing her hand to her chin in thought.
"How long have you been wearing those clothes…?" She asked looking at them carefully now.
"Long enough." Sabo said ready to give in and change into the marine outfit if it meant he didn't have to keep wearing stinking clothing.
"Wait right here." She said turning around and racing to her room in the large tavern to grab some new clothes for the teenagers.
"These might be a bit large on you all but here." She said throwing some Pajamas at the boys who were startled.
"Tomorrow I will have proper clothing for you boys but for now you can't just sleep in nothing!" She sounded almost appalled that the brothers before her had nothing to wear.
"You really don't have to." Ace started but shut his mouth with her stern glare.
"Yes I do. Now go, I'll see you boys tomorrow morning." She said ending the conversation right there and then. All three boys bent low bowing their thanks to her for the clothing before leaving with a large smile.
"You've sure fallen for one hell of a woman Ace." Sabo snickered and Luffy blinked at those words.
"Fallen?" He asked and Sabo turned to his little brother while still walking.
"Ace has a crush on Makino." He said seriously and Luffy's eyes widened before brightening.
"So Ace loves Makino?" He asked and Sabo found himself mildly surprised that Luffy picked up on that so quickly.
"Exactly." Sabo agreed but Ace wasn't having any of that.
"I do not Love her! I just think she's pretty, that's all." Though Ace's face told the real story.
"Ohhhh! So you Like-Love her…" Luffy said seriously causing Sabo to laugh loudly.
"What does that even mean?!" Ace screamed at Luffy who laughed
When they got back to their cabin on the marine ship the pulled the transponder snail from a drawer putting it on the bed where it had its eyes closed waiting for them to call.
"Alright, you guys ready?" Ace asked a smile on his face.
"Mn." Luffy said as Ace lifted the speaker off the phone making the snail's eyes open and begin its calling sound….
On the Moby Dick
Marco hadn't heard from the trio in a long time, or even at all since they left. He worried that Garp had found the snails and destroyed them.
"Marco, lighten up! They're in the East Blue for goodness sakes! They'll be fine, if not bored out of their skulls." Thatch said rolling his eyes as Marco began his staring contest with the phone waiting for it to wake up.
"I know I just miss them-yoi." Thatch would be the only person Marco said that out loud to other than pops.
"We all do but they'll probably only call if there is an emergency." Thatch said to his friend as the snail's eyes opened up and the call happened.
"Or they'll call now." He laughed and Marco's heart jumped a beat in excitement.
"Hello-yoi?" Marco asked picking up the receiver.
"Ma!" Luffy cheered instantly and Marco felt himself calming down for the first time in days.
"Yo Marco." Ace said and Luffy laughed over the phone.
"Is anyone with you?" Sabo asked only for Thatch to steal the phone form Marco.
"What's up brats?" Thatch asked but even Marco could hear the emotion in his friend's voice.
"Thatch guess what!?" Luffy instantly called out but a lot of banging came along with that question.
"What?" He asked humoring the kid only to hear Ace scream Luffy's name and Sabo to laugh.
"Brats?" Thatch was getting worried and Marco was getting pale not knowing what was happening.
"Ace…" Luffy began "Has…" Thatch was waiting patiently wanting to know just what Ace had.
"Luffy shut up!" Ace shouted probably pulling the kid away from the phone.
"Just what does Ace have-yoi?" Marco asked now since the line was a bit crazy sounding. Hearing a laugh they assumed belonged to Sabo they waited again as he began to answer them.
"Ace has a crush." Sabo answered causing Thatch to grin ever so widely and his eyes to dance with mischievousness.
"Ohhh?" Thatch purred out and Luffy laughed.
"Mn, he loooves Makino!" Ace scowled and it showed on the phone's face.
"This Makino person must be special." Pops said since Marco and Thatch had moved to be near everyone so they could talk to the brats.
"Stupid Luffy." Ace scowled in embarrassment causing his father to laugh.
"You boys are really growing up." Vista said a smile under his own mustache.
"She's super nice and makes good food! She gave us pajamas since Grampa took our clothes." Luffy said to them causing Izou to raise a finely groomed brow.
"He stole your clothing?" He asked but there was danger in his voice.
"Mn, wants us to wear the marine uniform." Sabo answered making a face.
"Never." Izou said to the boys who nodded their heads.
"We will go naked before we wear them." Luffy said copying Ace's earlier words.
"I'd rather you didn't-yoi." Marco said imagining the faces of people as three naked teenagers walked down the streets. He had a feeling that two out of the three boys didn't care if anyone saw them with or without clothing on.
"So you want us to wear those clothes?" Luffy asked carefully.
"No, I just don't want you wearing nothing-yoi." He said and Luffy laughed after that.
"Okay, but Makino is giving us some clothing tomorrow morning." Luffy replied and Marco raised a brow.
"She sounds like a nice lady-yoi." He said and Luffy smiled through the phone.
"She's super nice! She feeds us and even gave us clothing! And-and she even scolded Ace!" Luffy said remembering her telling Ace to be nice.
"So she's like a mother then?" Haruta asked looking at Marco who was frowning.
"I guess…I don't know what that would be like…" Luffy said thinking about it.
"Definitely not!" Ace shouted but Sabo frowned.
"You say that only because you love her." Sabo said and Ace's face reddened once again.
"I do not love her!" He shouted causing the family to laugh.
"Looks like the mother hen has some competition…" Thatch said to pops who smiled at his son.
"We'll let you go we need to get up early tomorrow morning since we're going on an adventure."
"Where to?" Thatch asked wanting to know where his brothers were heading just in case of anything.
"We're heading to where Ace and Sabo used to live." Luffy said
"Be safe my sons." Pops said and Ace laughed.
"No guarantees pops." He said causing Marco to make a face.
"And what does that mean-yoi?" He asked but Luffy wished them a goodnight and hung up the phone.
"Brats." Thatch said fondly to the receiver before Marco turned to him and flicked his forehead.
"What the hell Marco?" Thatch asked annoyed grabbing his head.
"That's for saying I have competition-yoi." He smirked before walking away leaving a laughing Thatch and a grinning pops behind him.
Back with the boys
Luffy was smiling as he fell asleep. He had his brothers beside him, he got to talk to his precious family and the pajamas he was wearing were warm and smelled like Shanks-which smelt like a mixture of rum, the ocean and freedom.
"I was thinking Sabo…" Ace started pulling a blanket over Luffy to keep him warm.
"I want to get a tattoo." He said and Sabo nodded his head in understanding.
"Yeah me to, it's kind of rebellious don't cha think?" Sabo said with a smile.
"What are you thinking of?" Ace asked with a small smile.
"I want our initials-ASL with a cross through mine. Do you think it's stupid?" He asked Ace who smiled wider.
"Nah, I think that's kinda cool. I'm getting my name down my arm." He said and Sabo laughed.
"Why your name, dummy?" Sabo asked laughing quietly.
"So people remember that it was me who did whatever I will do to them." He said and Sabo made a face at Ace.
"Where will we get them done?" He was pretty sure you needed to be over 18 to get one or have parental permission which neither of them had.
"Dadan will do it for us." Ace said to Sabo who understood instantly. Dadan was a bandit; she didn't follow the law or anything in it.
"How will we get her to do something like that?" It wasn't like she was that fond of them in the first place.
"I think I can manage it." Ace said with a grin that said he had a plan.
"I hope so, what if Luffy wants one as well?" Sabo asked knowing Luffy would follow the leader.
"We'll figure that out as we go." Ace said surly and Sabo nodded.
Tomorrow they would make the trip up to the bandits and maybe he would consider showing Luffy where he once lived-never called home but once lived. After all they knew so much about their baby brother, wasn't it time for them to show him about them? Sabo leaned back on the bed beside Luffy and smiled softly. Luffy had opened a new world for them and they'd do anything to protect him no matter what.
"Good night, my brothers." He said closing his eyes a smile on his face falling into a peaceful sleep.
Hello there and Happy Saturday! So here is a chapter, I don't plan on them being on Dawn Island for very long. I plan to have them finish this island tomorrow :) I love Makino so I wanted to show her a little bit longer that's why they're still here. I gave some Shanks hints ;) No I won't be having a surprise visit from Shanks but I will have him mentioned tomorrow :) I made this chapter a bit short I'm sorry guys! I am starting to think I may have to update Friday-sat-sun from now on to get out what I think needs to be seen on a weekend, let me know what you think of that :) Marco had motherhood competition hee hee. Makino was a good mother figure for Luffy so I liked that attitude here now :) I'll let you guys go for now I'll be back tomorrow with another chapter! Keep well everyone! DR
