Roger held his kids' hands for the rest of the trip home, trying not to think at how and what could have changed in his absence. He risked a glance at his wife- she still was his wife, right? Did they move out? Was all of his stuff packed somewhere or was it thrown away years ago?
He was so busy overthinking to take anything to the worst-case scenario that he almost missed noticing when they entered through their home's gate, still big and white and almost as good as new even in the light of late afternoon.
As soon as their car stopped and the engine let silence took his place, they all released a breath of relief: they were finally home, away from the crowd and not-wanted attention. Hope all of the other passengers made it out safely to their respective houses, Roger thought looking up at his home trying to see if there was any radical change and, to his relief and surprise both, it really looked just the same as he remembered expect for minor adjustments: of course in the garden there isn't a child playground anymore, and the walls looked painted recently as some dirt and stains just weren't as visible.
Rouge was the first to get out of the car, letting her hair down and looking back at his husband, her expression held something desperate as if she expected them to disappear if she didn't keep her eyes on them all the time. Can't blame her for that now, can he? Roger followed her and went to hug his wife and they let each other soak and relax before the long-haired woman spoke softly yet loud enough to be heard from their sons approaching them.
"We're- I'm sorry. I gave away most of your things, but we kept the most important stuff, so don't worry" Roger pulled away from the hug just the necessary distance to look at her, studying her older and distressed, yet beautiful face. "No, don't apologize, you could have never predicted… this" He gave her a reassuring smile trying to get her to smile too and kissed her forehead letting her go reluctantly. Rouge finally smiled sincerely at him and turned around to wipe her tears away when their children got closer, only to turn around again and going do hug Ace tightly which protested half heartly and hugged her back and joking on how now he should help her walk because she got older which got out an offended but happy response.
Roger was looking at them smiling sadly and happy at the same time before he felt himself being stared at and turned to look at his youngest son. Reality finally was staring to sink in, and he had to turn his gaze away from Luffy to cover his eyes because he himself felt the years bear down into his shoulders, after a few seconds he caught up the courage to look again and he found his son still looking up to him with watery eyes, expecting something.
"Oh, I'll never get used to you being so tall now" He breathed out with a shaken voice adjusting his stare to take a better look at his not-so-young but still youngest son who smiled brightly at him with eyes just as shiny as his father's.
"Hi Dad" Luffy laughed with his typical bright and contagious smile he fortunately still had and Roger felt his body straighten up with energy -he was a resilient man after all- and he missed already a whole lot of years of his child growing up and wife growing older so now, it was time to retrieve all of that and make it up for them, so, without warning he launched forward and hugged his son around the waist to pull him up in the air only to realize a little to late he used to much force and they both risked an abrupt fall which they both laughed off.
"God, you weight nothing, you sure you're older right?" Roger commented starting to walk around with Luffy thrown over his shoulder and laughing while playfully yelling that he was way older for this.
"Ace look at them! We haven't even got inside and are already messing around" Rouge lamented to her elder son, her face now cleaned and happy. "Yes mom, don't worry, take it easy" Ace snorted as he patted her arms and walked with her towards the door. His mother laughed and smiled softly at him and replied with a sort of smug face and replied, "Don't think I'm going to let you get away for this".
"I would listen to your mother son" Roger tried to make a serious face when they both turned to look at them but it just couldn't work with a teenager causally thrown over both his shoulder pouting trying to mimic his father.
Everything was falling back in place. They'll be fine.
Not even an hour later it seems like they weren't even gone in the first place- sure, the interior of the house has changed, most of their stuff was gone, but going through the mess that was their garage with his father and brother while listening to his mother quietly humming a song while cooking just a room away made Ace felt like everything was going to be okey, and he was afraid the years would have put his mother and brother in a somewhat distance stance with them.
"Think I found it!" He turned around to see Luffy standing on a chair raising his arm and leaning on the lower shelves trying to get to a box just a little out of his reach. Roger made a noise of approvement and grunted about going to ask their mother where the ladder was and went out from the door connecting the garage to the kitchen area.
Ace put on the ground the box he was holding and went near his little brother just in case he could lose his balance. "Get down Luffy, Dad's gonna get-"
Help him.
Ace halted to a stop when he heard- or so he though, his own voice talking inside his head; he kept his gaze low still confused and trying to get what just happened when Luffy's voice got him out of it.
"Ace?" He tore his gaze away form the floor and was met with worried eyes, just realizing from his little brother's voice he must have called him a couple of times already. "Yeah, yeah I'm good sorry Lu, let's get the box" He answered too quickly and Luffy surely didn't look convinced but ultimately decided to not investigate further -uh, so maybe he isn't as stubborn as he was- and let his older brother climb onto the same chair.
"No way! Look at you!" Ace proudly held out the photo of his little brother's last day of high school only to have his father snatch it away which unleashed a loud protest from him. Roger laughed in triumph, calming down to get a good look at the photo he was holding but this time it was Luffy who robbed him and held on it looking at both of them with red cheeks and a disgruntled expression.
Luffy promptly scooted away from them when he realized he just got both his playful father and brother against him when his mother came out from the kitchen to call them for dinner and he immediately got advantage hiding behind his mother.
Rouge quickly got an idea of what was going on and so she took the photo from the youngest to show the other two. "Oh my, you've found the photos! Ace, have take a better look of this? Luffy's wearing your uniform!"
"You're all traitors!" Luffy exasperatedly yelled at them his face now a full dark red for the embarrassment.
Dinner went awfully quiet -compared to their old and usual lunches and dinners- as they were all happily tired and thinking about the new adjustments the situation required for all of them. Sure, more time passed, more they all realized the absurdity of the event.
Rouge was barely touching her food when she asked, probably more wondering out loud. "Where did you go, all of these years?"
The father shared a look with his eldest son before answering. "We don't understand, it seems just a few days ago we left you at the airport". Ace swallowed his meat before talking. "Yeah, it didn't seem like six years at all".
"Yes, you…" Rouge paused putting her thoughts together. "You didn't change either. This is to say the least confusing". Roger mused, thinking about how her medical and skeptic mind must be fuming from theories and half-baked explanations and looked over at Luffy who was also more playing around than actually eating. They must have been alone for who knows how long, of course it won't be that easy for them to return to their old routine, doesn't matter how happy they are.
After finishing dinner, Roger and Ace insisted to clean up while the other two could wash and change their self, since they really wanted to make it up for their absence.
Ace went to his room which didn't really change -expect of course for the lack of his things- and it was another big breath he could let out. Now laying in his bed, cleaned up ad in one of his father's pajamas, his head kept nagging him with so many questions that his own brain couldn't keep track. That voice form before… Maybe he's staring to feel the stress of discovering that he's been wiped out of existence only to return years later instead of few hours together with his dad and many others.
A soft knock on his door thankfully made his mind stop for a little and he sat up welcoming in whoever was on the other side, smiling at his younger brother when he kind of timidly entered his room, cushion in hands. "Hey, what's up Lu" He greeted him automatically making moving to make space for him onto his bed because oh- just how many times have they done this ending up sleeping together? And he was glad that was apparently a habit Luffy easily wanted to fall back in.
Now that Luffy was getting closer he could see he was holding his phone, which he kept in hand while arranging his cushion next to Ace's. "Uhm, Ace. I think your friends want to hear from you"
God- Ace wanted so hard to slap himself -he didn't even think about them till now, and he had to force himself to not think to much in the moment because of the possibility to talk to them right here and now. "L-Lu, thanks, you've been…?" He fake-coughed to cover his emotions even though he knew that just wouldn't do with his little brother, always good at reading people.
"Yeah, they kind of just named themselves my elder brothers, so, we've kept in contact" Luffy smiled at him and passed him the phone which in the same moment started ringing with a videocall display lighting up the screen, and Ace made a mental note of thanking that bunch of idiots for… Not being idiots for once.
Downstairs, husband and wife sat at the table near each other and with hot tea in hands. Rouge was smiling softly yet pleased by her husband's oblivious distressed fidgeting. "Rogy. I know what you're thinking, and I think you know the answer too".
Roger looked at her finally starting to smile "Am I that obvious?"
"I know you love, and I've spent all of my years thinking about you. Believe me, I've tried to move on. Even tried unsuccessfully to be with another but… I would lie to you if I said I held back myself, because I really wanted to let go of the pain" Rouge looked down at her reflection on the tea's surface, thinking deeply and her husband just let her be before speaking. "There is nothing I wouldn't forgive you for, we've been gone for years" He said covering her small hand with one of his.
Rouge returned to look at him smiling softly. "No, Rogy, there's nothing you have to forgive, and I have nothing to apologize for- Luffy, little sweet Luffy always believed you'd come back and he wouldn't let me get away with it. Our first, huge fight was about throwing away or keeping your stuff- In the end we compromised, keeping somethings, and leaving behind some others" She paused to take a sip before their tea became too cold to be good.
"He kept telling me Ace would be so mad" Rouge laughed half-crying "And I kept thinking, this must be his child-like mind holding too much on hope that everyone else was losing, including myself, and yet he was so convinced, maybe he was scared of being abandoned like when he was left in that orphanage". She left her cup on the table and took her husband's hand in both of hers. "Well, look at us now".
Roger could only laugh, tears in his eyes, thinking about how was it possible that the youngest of them was the more stubborn.
Hello everyone! I hope this makes it up for the previous short chapter. Thank you for sticking around and see you next time.
