This was supposed to go up a lot sooner, but I kept forgetting to post before heading to bead. Sorry about that!

Enjoy!

There was absolutely no privacy on the boat. Of course, Ace should have figured that, but the fact didn't strike him until a few days into their journey.

"Ace! I wanna hear about your adventures!"

"Didn't I tell you some yesterday?" Ace sighed. He knew there was little he could do to stop Luffy's need for attention- besides give him attention- but it would have been nice to have some peace and quiet for once, Such moments had been rare back with Marco and the others, and he thought that this trip would give him time to think.

Wrong.

"He can't help it," Sabo said. He was sitting on the railing above, grinning. "Lu wants to spend time with his big brother, after all."

"I'll never get used to that." He'd always remembered being the youngest, even if he and Haruta were close in age.

"You will- once you remember."

Ace couldn't find the words to answer that.

"How about we trade?" Sabo asked, hopping down from his perch.

"You mean you take Luffy for the day?"

"Nice try, but you're not getting out of that one."

"I want to talk to Ace," Luffy interrupted stubbornly.

Sabo pat him on the shoulder. "You'll like this idea, Lu. Trust me," he said, taking a seat on the deck next to them. "Why don't we tell you about our adventures for once?"

Luffy's eyes lit up. "There was that time with the tiger, and then with the crocodile that ate me-"

"Let's not give him a heart attack just yet, Lu."

Ace stared. A heart attack?! Just what have these two gotten up to?

"Don't look at me like that. This includes you too."

"What?!" Ace's jaw dropped.

Sabo grinned at him, barely containing a laugh. "Oh. this is going to be fun."

"What do you mean he's been kidnapped?"

Pops was the one who spoke, voicing a reflection of Marco's own thoughts, yet Marco himself was frozen in that moment.

"One of the dock workers said that he asked Commander Ace to investigate a suspicious boat and he never returned to the inn," the messenger said.

"Damn it! I knew I should have stayed with him."

"Marco, you couldn't have known that this would happen."

"But if I was there, I could have gone after him already!" he snapped. He'd been by Ace's side for so much of his life that it was impossible not to worry, especially now. If something happened to him- well something worse than already being kidnapped- then Marco didn't know if he could forgive himself. "Who knows where they are by now?"

Whitebeard frowned. "Marco, calm yourself. Nothing will come of irrationality, and I hate to see you so unlike yourself. For the time being, listen and take a seat."

Marco nodded, sinking down to sit on the stone steps. His rushing blood began to calm. It finally hit him how exhausting this news was, though unsurprisingly, that failed to quell his worry. "Did the dock worker say where the ship was from?"

"No, but the townspeople might know something. It's likely that they were buying supplies."

It wasn't much, but it would have to do for now. "Pops, I'm going."

"I don't think so!" Izo huffed. "Marco, take a look at yourself right now. You need to just calm down and rest! Don't be such a-"

"Izo." Whitebeard's stern voice silenced Izo's protests. "Your brother is right, Marco. You are in no condition to travel at the moment."

"Pops-"

"However," he continued speaking, cutting through the beginning of Marco's protest, "I will allow you to leave provided you rest and prepare."

Marco sighed in relief. Going after Ace would be the only way to ease his thoughts. "Thank you, Pops. I'll make sure that Ace returns home safely- no matter what."

He woke up the next day feeling like he had done so for a million years. He'd admit it: Izo really was right in that he needed some sleep, but there was so much more he needed to do than just sleep. He needed to pack supplies, to depart, to find Ace. His body- as well as his heart- weighed heavy. He knew he should have waited for his family to see him off, but he just couldn't wait.

Marco left with the rising sun.

Ace stared at Sabo- his brother- incredulously. "Eaten by a what?!"

Instead, Luffy was the one who chimed in, grinning his stupid grin. "Yep!"

"How are you guys still alive?"

"We," Sabo corrected, "and mostly because we were able to jump in and save his ass."

Ace could believe that. Luffy definitely wasn't the brightest, and if Ace had been anything like he was now, then he would have been willing to do anything to save one of his brothers.

He missed them.

Traveling had given him a lot to think about, mostly about his family. Though there was family right in front of him- supposedly- his thoughts wandered back to those in Moby. He didn't exactly say goodbye nor did he send a message. He could imagine everyone's reactions perfectly: Thatch and Haruta running around like headless chickens, Izo trying to remain calm while being agitated himself, Pops's worried frown…

Oh gods. Marco was going to be furious with him. He was a constant worrier, which subjected him to many jokes about his feathers getting ruffled (though Ace always found joy in Marco actually ruffling his feathers in his phoenix form). Marco was expecting him to return to the castle soon, but Ace had never actually promised him that.

And despite how much he missed him, there was no turning back now.

"I see land!"

Luffy leaped up, almost falling off the boat in the process.

"Careful, Lu. It'd be pain to have to dive in after you when we're so close to home." Sabo smiled, standing as well as he shielded his eyes from the bright sun overhead. Ace followed suit. Indeed, there was Raftel. Even from here he could see the bustling capital city rising from the surrounding greenery. Of course, he hadn't remembered it, but he had read about it and seen illustrations.

Sabo turned back to him, still grinning wide. "Welcome home. Welcome to Raftel, Ace."

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