Inspired by You Can Expect the Unexpected, But Not This by WeAreInTooDeepNow.
I had this idea while talking with Deep and exchanging memes and like I couldn't Not write it ok AU is by her, so is Jack! Please check out the original works if you haven't already it's so freaking funny I've legit cried from laughter reading itIt's a glaringly hot day as ever in Nanohana.
Sabo knew what'd he'd be getting into, yet somehow he still feels himself slowly melting on the inside.
It doesn't help that his face feels like it'd slide off any minute either.
But because of the worrying activity in Alabasta that's been going on for years feels like it's about to burst wide open any minute now, Dragon assigned him to go undercover and gain information, and, if possible, help stop whatever it is that's about to happen.
Koala, of course, had been assigned as his assistant/partner, but her job was to provide him clothes and make-up for his cover, as they didn't know who'd be watching where, and, if what they do know about Baroque Works, is that they're a high-enough profiling underground organisation that few people know about them, so therefore they're more than likely aware of who Sabo is.
And thus, Koala had made him wear a black wig, and a lot of makeup to cover up his facial scars.
He looked, and this is putting it nicely, atrocious.
Why else did his head hurt whenever he looked at himself?
So far, his mission is to lay low on the radar in different towns of Alabasta trying to find some from the rebel army, or someone from Baroque works, and then follow them to gain info.
However so far not much has happened much to his boredom.
As tempting as it is to start some sort of chaotic event, Sabo's 90 % sure Koala would actually kill him this time, especially given just how important the mission is.
So far they've only been to two towns, this being the third town. They're gonna move on in a couple days unless they find something, but so far all they've gotten is zilch.
Sabo's checking out a vendor selling different kinds of traditional Alabastian knives, when something hard collides with his leg.
Because he's undercover, he's not wearing his usual blue overcoat and buttoned up shirt, instead dorning a high necked light blue and tan robe with a white sash around his midsection, and a dark blue scarf around his neck that can double as a head cover.
Looking down, he's met with large onyx eyes peering up at him in astonishment, paired with freckled rosy-apple cheeks and a mop of dark hair.
The kid smiles at him in recognition (?!), his grin a picture of a sun.
For some reason, Sabo feels a throb of pain in his head at the sight.
"Papa!" The kid yells at him.
He double checks if there's anyone else around him, but no-pe, Sabo's standing by himself with the kid playing parasite.
The dark eyes that's watching him with a hopeful glint wides when Sabo instinctively smiles back at him.
He's startled when the kid actually attempts to crawl up his leg.
Now, here's the thing.
Sabo doesn't hate kids, but….. He doesn't really like them much either.
They can be good distractions on certain missions, and they're certainly not boring.
It's just that whenever Sabo talks to kids, especially overly happy ones, he gets migraines that some days actually puts him out with an overwhelming sensation of guilt and longing.
Longing for what? He doesn't know.
The kid's grip isn't strong enough to keep him steady, and he finds himself reacting on reflex when the kid starts to fall, catching him, and then placing him securely on his hip.
The kid immediately plasters himself to his side, arms trying (and failing) to engulf him in what'd likely be a hug of some kind.
Making sure his grip is strong enough, he easily maneuvers away from the vendor while avoiding people.
When he sees the kid trying to watch both him and the streets with interested curious eyes, he hoists the boy further up till he's little more than shoulder height. The kid easily accommodates as if used to it, and grabs onto his shoulder instead.
For some reason, carrying the kid around makes him fill with nostalgia, and a deep wave of protectiveness bubbles from his chest.
'Who is this kid?'
"Papa! Papa look!"
The boy rattles in his arms before lifting a tan freckled arm to point at a vendor in the corner that sells stone-carved figurines. Sabo spots different animals on display, amidst the selection being a pink, yellow and purple-ish marble patterned lion, a blue and black striped horse and a white wolf.
"You want to go check it out…" He asks the kid, who he only just realises he still doesn't know the name of.
"Can we?"
The child looks so hopeful with barely contained excitement, that even if Sabo hadn't asked, he probably wouldn't be able to find it in himself to say no.
"Sure - but first, can you tell me your name?"
While he's much more interested in the reasonings (if the child has any,) behind the 'papa', it'll have to wait. He feels a bit mean just referring to the kid as 'the kid'.
The child's brows furrow in an adorably confused, bordering on conflicted, frown. His tiny face scrunching up in what must be deep thought for a toddler. Sabo almost wants to ruffle his hair.
A lightbulb seems to go off in his mind, as he looks at Sabo with a wide smile, that feels strikingly familiar.
"Auntie Makino told me to intro-ce my self but I forgot. I'm Jack!"
He doesn't know who 'Auntie Makino' is, but flashes of warm embraces and kind eyes enters his mind, making his head pinch in pain.
"Nice to meet you, Jack" Sabo smiles at the kid, at Jack, before heading towards the vendor.
The woman manning the vendor nods kindly at them, before giggling at the way Jack's face completely lights up in joy at the display.
As Jack comments on every figure there in wonder, Sabo notices the way his eyes track the front and center lion statue - he's not very sneaky, but it's extremely endearing.
"How much for the pink, purple and yellow lion?" He asks the woman manning it.
"I'll give you a deal, 50 belli instead of the usual 100 for that charming prince of yours" She says as she starts to wrap the figurine. Sabo laughs politely, switching to balance Jack more steadily on his arm before handing the woman the money.
"For me?" Jack asks as she hands Sabo the newly wrapped pouch.
"Of course" He tucks it into a pocket inside his robe so as to not lose it or damage it. Jack cheers, smiling a wide (and still so so familiar) toothed smile.
"Thanks papa!"
They steer away from the crowds a little bit more, when he figures he can broach the topic of the 'papa' issue, but before he gets a chance, a woman screeches from the left further down the street.
"JACK! GUYS I'VE FOUND HIM!"
Sabo stops and turns to fully face her as she comes running towards him.
Her short orange hair bobs in the wind, and he can't tell if she looks extremely relieved or angry.
Either way, he walks towards the woman.
She stops right in front of him, breathing heavily. Jack hasn't called out to her, instead he's directly avoiding looking at her, instead seemingly very interested in Sabo's robe.
"Pardon me, are you the boy's mother?" He asks her, he realises they don't really look alike or give off the same feel, but he figures there's no harm in asking.
At least that's what he thought until her face flushes in anger, or embarrassment, shaking her head violently no.
She levels a reprimanding stare at Jack, who's still not looking at her.
"Jack, you Know you're not allowed to run off like that! You worried us sick, what if something happened to you?" She says, and Sabo can't really fault her for being scared. He wonders though, if she's not the mother, maybe a babysitter, then?
"I saw Papa so it's ok, I didn't get lost" Jack mumbles, further hiding his face away.
The woman looks around confused, her gaze watching him warily.
Behind her, a few people walk towards them, a blonde guy and a guy with a long nose, both with a certain tenseness that bleeds from their shoulders as they look at Jack.
"My apologies, Miss…?"
"Nami"
"Right. My apologies Miss Nami, he's referring to me"
"Who are you?" The long nosed dude asks.
"Jack, we need to leave. Your Dad's gonna be looking for you"
"I want papa to stay"
"He's not here, Kid. Listen to Nami-swan"
Jack glares at them (and again, why does that glare make his head hurt to this extent?"
The blonde man sighs.
"Think of what your father would say Jack. If we don't leave now, you won't get lunch" It seems to be the magic word (For some reason, he's 100% sure it was the 'lunch' and not the 'think of your father' bit that got to the kid) as he starts to squirm in Sabo's arms.
He carefully sets the child down. Jack walks to stand by Nami, before turning and meeting Sabo's gaze - he didn't expect to see such longing, bordering on loneliness in a kid he only just met's eyes.
"Don't forget about this Buddy" He pulls out the figurine and hands it to Jack, who clutches it in a small fist. He nods and smiles a sad smile up at Sabo, which makes that protective instinct that seemingly came out of nowhere flare up inside of him again.
Nami looks at the pouch in suspicion, but before she can question him (he recognises the signs easily,) a cheerful voice interrupts them.
"Ah, hey guys! There you are!"
"Daddy!" Jack happily shouts, running towards the voice, where a tan short dark haired guy is bending down with open arms, catching Jack in a practiced move before hugging who Sabo assumes is his son to his chest. The boy giggles as his father (?) spins him a couple times.
"Oh, what's that?" He asks, eyeing the pouch Jack's still clenching.
"Gift! From Papa!" Jack squeals before pointing towards Sabo.
The guy's eyes widened in surprise, before looking at him. He looks confused, but there's also a hint of recognition there.
Walking towards the group, Sabo notices even more people (a girl with blue hair, a… camel? And a green haired dude) following him. The guy hands Jack off to the green haired man, who lets Jack crawl onto his shoulders like a reflex. He can tell the man is watching him with barely hidden open hostility, a hand on the three swords hanging by his hip.
The blue haired girl smiles and giggles at Jack who giggles back.
As the guy who Sabo assumes is the father comes closer, he takes him in.
But for some reasons, his vision blurs if he looks right at him.
The guy walks closer and closer, until Sabo nearly feels his breath hitting his face as the shorter man studies him.
When his eyes widen in disbelief and - are those tears - he can honestly say he'd Never imagined that today he'd not only meet a kid mistaking him as his dad, and then when meeting the kids actual dad, having the man's arms actually curl around him multiple times as he openly cries, before jumping at him and nearly choking him in a hug.
"Saaboooooooooooo!"
The guys cries, mumbling his name, which for some reason doesn't make alarms go off in his brain like it should, no, he feels… He feels happy?
He taps him on his back, because he can't breathe.
As soon as he lets go, Sabo doesn't think before speaking.
"Dammit Luffy we told you to stop… that..?" (What'd he just say?)
The man looks at him with such open and devastating grief, all washed down by relief, so clear and love, so so much love. This stranger is looking at Sabo like he knows him (and he does)
The man flashes a grin (Oh, so that's where Jack got it from,).
"Shishishi, sorry!" He says but he doesn't sound sorry in the least.
"Uh, Luffy-" another pang, he has to shut his eyes from the pain this time, "Who's this?" The long nosed man asks.
The man - Luffy (sunflowers, cliffs, smiles and dreams-), still hanging off of him, smiles at his companions as if it's the best day ever.
"This is my other brother, Sabo!"
'From this day on we're brothers!'
Sabo doesn't register him falling and hitting the ground as he blacks out.
When he wakes up, his first thought is not 'Wow my head hurts', and while that is also true - no. His first thought is more like 'HOLY CRAP I HAVE BROTHERS. I'M AN UNCLE. LUFFY HAS A KID. HE IS A KID. WHAT-' before someone (a tanuki?) immediately rushes to where he's laying (from the feels of it, he guesses he's on a boat,) and helps him sit up, sipping some water and talks about what happened.
Apparently, Sabo'd recovered his memories, and fainted with a violent nosebleed while Luffy were hugging him.
Speaking of the rubber man, as soon as Chopper (a reindeer, not a tanuki huh) had given word that he'd awoken, Luffy came running into the room to hug him again.
His brother told him about how he and Ace'd assumed he'd died in the accident, and listens as Sabo explains his situation. No judgement, no anger (he's pretty sure if it'd been Ace he'd have punched him), he just nods and asks questions about his life and if he's happy.
And, on the topic of Ace, Sabo's reminded of a few other things.
With the makeup and the wig on, he kind of looks like Ace if you hadn't met the guy.
Jack's familiar freckles.
The kid's perfect mimic of Ace's glare.
"Hey, Luffy.. About Jack's father.."
"I'm his father?"
"I mean his other father.. Is… Is he.."
"Ace? Yeah"
"I see, I see. And how old is Jack?"
"He turns three soon!"
After that, Luffy told him more about the pregnancy and about Jack growing up, about his first word and other fun experiences.
But he has to admit, he'd only been listening with a half ear. That half, was so proud of Luffy and wanted to frame pictures of him and Jack and carry them with him always. In fact, he's pretty sure he's going to take some pictures on his cam-den before leaving.
But the other part is goddamn livid.
I can't fucking Believe Ace would knock up our baby brother at 13 years old- When I get my hands on him I'm going to castrate him After beating him up.
And, in that moment, somewhere in Alabasta a certain fire user turned into fire in panic, instead of the usual 'fight or fight' response, the man actually felt like someone was gonna come right there and then and completely utterly destroy him.
That night he had a nightmare about losing his dick, and Luffy compensating for it with stretching his into a lasso.
Yet somehow he felt like someone was laughing maniacally at him planning his demise.
He shuddered, hoping to find Luffy at his next stop.
To Nanohana.