Thanks for reviewing,

The Shifting, zxrycyan, Black Night Wolf, Allykrau, EternalAngelOfDeath, guest (04/10/15), and especially WDW.

Sorry for the wait. But here's a long chapter in exchange.

Chapter 2: Give Life Back to Music

After Luffy joins their group (uninvited by him, Sasuke would like to note), he and Sabo do the same thing as ever: hunting, sparring, eating, and collecting treasure. The only difference is that Luffy is there, but somehow the kid manages to change the whole equation. Hunting turns into a strange game of keep-Luffy-out-of-the-animal's-mouth. It's ridiculous to Sasuke how often the kid can mess up and end up getting swallowed by something or other. Sparring is good, if only because of how stupid Luffy looks as he tries to use his Devil Fruit powers. Sasuke smirks and chuckles lowly at a lot of the younger kid's antics. He's so stupid. It's occasionally funny at how outraged Luffy gets after being beaten, but some days, when Sasuke's mood is darker, the reminder of another, loud, immature person is too much for him to take. Luffy, somehow, inexplicably, seems to slowly understand what Sasuke can't even begin to communicate, and these days after getting thoroughly beat, Luffy will look up and smile before eagerly demanding another fight. While Sasuke doesn't understand, he is quietly appreciative.

Another large change would be Sabo's role in his life. The blond had always been a secondary character, someone he spent time with for mutual gain— that mainly being treasure. However, since Luffy joined, Sasuke finds himself making his way more and more often to the edges of Grey-Terminal where Sabo lives. The other boy is the only way to get the human leech that is Luffy to let go of Sasuke. After a few visits, Sabo finally works up the courage to ask if he can live with them. Luffy immediately agrees, which makes Sasuke want to sigh, but he gives in too. Having Sabo around isn't as annoying as Sasuke anticipated. The blond is more mature than most people he knows these days (including adults, like Dadan and the rest of her bandits), and he appreciates the change in pace.

Sabo and Luffy likely view him as being their friend, and Sasuke doesn't see the point in telling them otherwise. Spending time with them, annoying as they are on occasion, is a nice break from his previously training-packed schedule (granted they fight about two hundred times a day each, but that really doesn't compare to his body conditioning routine).

He does get some additional training in when they attack some of the thugs in town. They're nowhere near Sasuke's level, but facing opponents in a more serious environment is good practice. Aside from the thugs, they also tackle some of the larger game of the forest. It's after one of their more successful alligator attacks that they manage to collect the skin and keep it mostly whole. With, what Sasuke thinks is an incredibly shitty disguise, they make their way through the gates of Edge Town and manage to pawn off the skin for a decent amount of money. It seems likely to go to waste because all of them it's around the middle of the day and all of them are starving.

"I'm hungry," Luffy whines. They're in a dark alleyway where they're well out of sight. It lets them get off each other's shoulders for a little while anyways.

"Since we have some extra money, let's eat out," Sabo suggests.

"Ooh! Yes, let's do that!" Luffy crows, and Sasuke smirks a little at the kid's overexcitement. It falters with Sabo's next words.

"Let's get ramen."

"No." Sasuke doesn't even think about the word, it just slips out.

Sabo's mouth opens, to question or argue, Sasuke will never know, because Luffy says,

"Okay."

Sabo blinks. "Do you not like ramen too?"

"I've never had it before," Luffy says, and Sasuke knows he's lost the fight. Something in his expression must give him away because Sabo is muffling a smile.

"I know how to get there. C'mon and get on my shoulders, Luffy," Sabo directs.

"But Ace doesn't—"

"Ace doesn't care," Sasuke cuts the younger off. "Hurry up."

After getting their ramen, which Sasuke will admit tastes better in this world than the other for some reason, they dash back to the cliffs without paying. Something Sasuke would never have done. But since he's also Ace, he figures it's alright.

When they're safely away, Sasuke decides to inquire after Sabo's suspicious interaction around the stranger in Edge City.

"So who was that man?"

Sabo stiffens slightly before a gap-toothed smile covers his face.

"I dunno who he was. He must've gotten me confused with someone else."

"Liar." Even without being trained in the arts of deception, he's still pretty sure that Sabo's attempt at deception is completely obvious.

"You're lying?" Luffy asks with a tilted head.

Sasuke wants to roll his eyes, but just sticks to staring stoically at the blond.

"I'm not—"

"Don't try to lie to me. I'll always be able to tell."

Sabo looks at Sasuke for a long time until his eye contact falters and he turns his gaze back to Edge City which is alit with the orange hues of the setting sun.

"That man . . . he was my father."

Sasuke stills completely and his breath catches in his throat.

"I lied about being an orphan. I'm actually from Goa kingdom and I'm a noble. I— I ran away though because they weren't like a family at all! They were—"

"Shut. The hell. Up." Sasuke doesn't know where the dark muted words come from, but the next thing he knows his hand is around the collar of Sabo's shirt.

"You have a family?" Sasuke feels anger settling over his expression, and he doesn't fight it. "Why did you run away from them?!"

"You don't know what it was like living there!" Sabo protests.

"Yeah, we don't," Sasuke grits out. "Because we don't have families. Luffy has no clue!"

"Listen to me! I was miserable there—"

"You're a spoiled brat!" Sasuke snaps. "How ungrateful can you get?! You—"

"Ace."

Sasuke blinks as he feels Luffy's small rubbery hands trying to pry his digits from Sabo's shirt. He looks down at the seven-year-old whose eyes are blank of emotion. Though he's plenty stronger than the younger boy, Sasuke allows Luffy to pull his hands away. Sabo falls to the ground roughly, but doesn't utter a sound. He sits up with a weary look on his face and the beginnings of tears around his eyes.

"They don't love me," Sabo begins, looking at his boots.

Sasuke barely resists scoffing. No one knows how much their family loves them until their bodies are lying dead on the ground, with Itachi standing above them, looking at him and—

"The only reason my parents wanted me was so I could be married off to someone of higher status." Sabo's words are bitter. "Since I was a kid, my entire life has been educating myself and studying so I can marry a girl from some other family and continue our 'prestigious' line."

That in and of itself isn't something too hard for Sasuke to come to terms with, because he knew every few decades in Konoha, one clan or another would want to strengthen an alliance through marriage. Personally, he never really approved of it, but that didn't give Sabo a good reason to run out on his family, something utterly irreplaceable. His next words do give Sasuke pause though.

"I was just a tool to my parents. A way for them to gain social mobility," Sabo murmurs softly. "I was only worth something to them if I was studying and working on my manners."

And that's something also Sasuke can understand. Because he's been a tool of Konoha's, of Kakashi's, of Orochimau's— he knows all too well the life of a tool . . . and what happens when a tool isn't useful.

Now Sabo starts crying. "L-Luffy, Ace, I'm sorry I lied to you. I just didn't want that life anymore."

"Well, you said you're sorry," Luffy says. "So I forgive you."

Sasuke wants to smack the younger boy over the head for being so simple. Because it shouldn't be that simple. He'd lied to them, lied about something so incredibly serious that it makes Sasuke's blood boil. And Luffy, stupid, simple Luffy, just nods and accepts it. It must be easier for him because he's never had a family to begin with, never known the soft touches of a mother and the strong hugs from a father. There's so much he's missing out on . . . despite that, there's no denying that Luffy is happy. It's not the kind of happiness brought out by perseverance and forced optimism, no, it's a warmth generated somewhere within the younger boy. Their lot in life is shit. So how can he be so glad to be alive? Sasuke . . . doesn't understand at all.

Fuck. Luffy's just such a fucked-up kid.

And Sasuke knows it's too late for him to act on his anger and confusion.

"Let's just go stash our treasure," he says. Sabo smiles. Luffy laughs and grins, and Sasuke wonders if he even had a chance to begin with.

"Ace."

Sasuke twitches, hating the sound of Luffy's pathetic voice. They're in the treehouse after a very long day, both trying to sleep. Well, at least Sasuke is.

"Do you think Sabo'll come back?"

"God, you're annoying." Because Sasuke gets that it's hard sleeping here without Sabo, he already knows that. Sasuke doesn't need Luffy's guilt on top of everything else.

Luffy makes a sound between a whine and a cry and Sasuke gives up.

"Look, Sabo's with his family now. He's fine." The older boy refuses to make eye-contact with the younger as he speaks mechanically.

" . . . I thought we were a family."

Sasuke bristles at the memory the words bring.

oOOo

The air's full of sunlight, brought on by the early rising sun. Luffy's telling such an outrageous, bizarre story, that Sasuke can only chuckle. Sabo told them he needed to grab something and then he'd join them. Sasuke remembers being curious at the time, but brushing it off.

"Sorry it took me so long," Sabo says, panting as he runs up to them, carrying a bottle of what looks like sake.

"I almost ate Ace I was so hungry," Luffy claims, nodding to himself. Sasuke smacks him over the head.

Sabo laughs and then sets three sake cups on a nearby stump.

"What's with the alcohol?" Sasuke asks as the blond pours the sake.

"The other day when I was in the bar, I overheard some guys talking," Sabo says, setting the bottle down on the grass. "If two men share a drink together it makes them brothers, or so they said."

Sasuke snorts inwardly. He's heard of the concept before, but never bought it.

After a moment, the implication hits Sasuke.

"Wait, what?" Luffy asks, confused.

"If we share this sake, it'll make us brothers for real!" Sabo cheers with a gap-toothed smile.

"Really?!" Luffy exclaims. "So cool!"

"No."

Both of their smiles falter as Sasuke utters the denial.

"But, Ace—" Sabo tries, looking completely distraught and betrayed.

"I said no. I'm not your brother." His voice is incredibly cold, and he can't help it. The last person to claim he was Sasuke's brother almost died for it. The first person still hasn't died for it. Naruto and Itachi are two memories he can never seem to shed from his being. He'll be damned if they make him another pact brother.

He turns and runs away, towards the seaside. As he reaches the cliffs and sees the bright blue expanse of sea and sky, his heart finally slows down. He lowers himself to the ground, ignoring the faint trembles of emotion wracking his too-young body.

There aren't words for how fucked up it is that Sabo and Luffy are asking this of him. They can't understand. Maybe this is Sasuke's fault, leading them on by being so nice. He doesn't hate either of them, and maybe even likes them on occasion, but bonds are something he's struggled with for years. It isn't something either of them can fix, nor should they try. Bonds are . . . weakness embodied. Children as young as Sabo and Luffy don't have the experience to understand. Sasuke refuses to be the one to lead them to the truth about bonds. However, he does need to get a hold of the situation. He's let this develop for too long. The only thing for it is for him to sever them before it's too late.

Sasuke's jaw clenches and his hands dig into the thick green grass. He finds the idea harder to swallow than it should be. The relative peace of this place has made him weak.

"Weakness," Orochimaru whispers in his ear. "Should be cut out—"

The hissing in his ears vanishes when Sasuke hears a break in the brush, and he turns to see Luffy. He's expecting to see Sabo too, but thankfully, the blond seems to have decided to leave Sasuke alone. A wise decision.

"I'm not going to be your brother, Luffy," Sasuke says, trying to stop the conversation before it starts.

"Ace . . ." Luffy says, eyes lit with that understanding the younger always has, and Sasuke doesn't want that understanding.

"Why are you here, Luffy?"

"I just wanna talk."

Sasuke makes a short sound of annoyance. Luffy really just doesn't fucking get it.

"Why do you want me to be your brother so bad? Are you that desperate?" Sasuke sneers. "Crying out for attention, you're so pathetic."

"No!" Luffy protests before falling into a pout. "I don't even know what being 'brothers' means," he mutters.

Sasuke . . . isn't surprised, as he thinks about it. Luffy's never had family before, has he? The older boy doesn't count their shitty grandfather for anything, let alone being a 'family' to Luffy. The kid will likely never know . . . Sasuke remembers cousins, and aunts, and uncles, and grandparents, and a father, and a mother, and a br—

Useless, brothers are utterly useless when it comes down to it. If Luffy did have brothers, he would understand. But Sasuke wants to save him that pain.

Unaware of Sasuke's ambivalent thoughts, Luffy continues, "Sabo told me I'd get it eventually."

"It's better if you don't."

"Why?"

"Because brothers betray each other." Because brothers kill their entire families, except for Sasuke, leaving him alone, in their blood, with the parting words that Sasuke is weak—

"Well, okay . . . then I won't make you be my brother," Luffy mumbles. "But you know, I've never had a cousin before."

Sasuke blinks before coughing. God. There is something so seriously wrong with this boy. And Sasuke too, because all he feels at the moment is a small level of warmth. He tries to squelch the feeling, but the earnestness of Luffy's dark eyes pierces him. The emotion is as persistent as Luffy is, and Sasuke knows he should be severing these bonds, not making them stronger. But well, his life is a fucking joke for sure . . . but it is his life. It's all he really has at the moment— this, and Sabo, and Luffy. Abandoning two thirds of what he has isn't entirely attractive.

He hesitates as he considers the situation more thoroughly. They'll all grow up and leave this island one day, separate, likely to never meet again on the vast cerulean waters. Their dreams and need for freedom guide their future, and no fondness for each other could stop that. If it isn't forever, then their relationship will fade. That's like a natural severance of a bond. And 'cousin' is very distant from 'brother,' he could manage that . . . So for a while, maybe he can just let it be. Maybe . . . he can allow this bond— just this one between he, Sabo, and Luffy. Because it won't be permanent, and Luffy needs someone to watch after him anyways, and no promises made in childhood last forever, and maybe he's just gotten used to having them here, and maybe he wants to have something for a while, and what if it's okay, just this once, what if it's okay?

"You know we're all going to leave this island one day, on different ships, right?" he says after a long pause.

Luffy gives him a 'duh, of course' look. "Well yeah, we have different dreams."

"You can't get too attached to people," Sasuke warns. "They betray you. One day I might betray you. Sabo too."

Luffy's brow furrows before he shrugs. "Okay. I won't betray you though, is that okay?"

"I . . ." As he thinks about it, Luffy has never managed to deceive anyone, and something deeper like betrayal may well be impossible. But there's always a chance he'll be corrupted in the darkness of the world. Sasuke certainly changed a lot from when he was first seven-years-old. It isn't unfathomable. Still . . . Sasuke's gut twists at the very thought of Luffy losing his warmth, but faces the thought head on. He won't dwell in denial. Not that Luffy can understand the concept.

"Who knows?" Sasuke eventually settles on.

Luffy frowns heavily. "I know."

"Right," he says, tone placating.

"Cousins then?" Luffy presses.

"You really wanna drink some alcohol, don't you?" he says dryly, a little weakly. He manages a little chuckle when Luffy nods emphatically. "Well go get Sabo then. He has the sake, right?" he speaks wearily. Sasuke wonders why the hell he bothers with the family concept at all— but Luffy's face has lit up. Maybe it's because he knows Luffy will never have a proper family. Being . . . cousins . . . though undesirable, seems like a paltry offering to someone who'll never know better, never have anything like it.

Luffy disappears and reappears moments later, tugging a mutinous looking Sabo behind him.

Sasuke and Sabo have a tense moment of uncomfortable staring (a contest the latter thoroughly loses. Sasuke's glare could peel paint), until Luffy saves the day by taking a swig of sake from the bottle he brought.

"You're doing it wrong, Luffy." Sabo shakes his head before passing out two of the three cups. Luffy and Sasuke both hold them out while Sabo slowly pours sake in them. He proceeds to top off his own cup before placing the bottle down.

Sabo meets Luffy's gaze first before locking eyes with Sasuke again. Though the emotions are tumultuous at best, the blond still extends his cup.

"Cousins."

Luffy nods. "Cousins."

After a moment of hesitation, Sasuke too says, "Cousins."

The trio lightly tap their glasses together before knocking the liquid back. It burns Sasuke's throat more than he ever remembers it doing. But then again, he was much older when he first tried Sasuke before. He snorts as the full juvenility hits him. Here he is, last Uchiha survivor, stealing alcohol with a bunch of little kids.

Kids so desperate to be his brother, to have family. . .

As they walk back into the forest to find something to eat, Sasuke finds himself inexplicably guilty. It isn't their fault he's so fucked up. Nor that they don't have the life experience to understand what brotherhood really means.

"I—" Sasuke stops where he is and takes a deep breath. "I just. Can't."

Luffy stops too and nods. "I understand."

Sabo sighs heavily. "I guess I do too."

They don't but that's okay. His 'cousins' understand enough.

oOOo

The sudden memory just makes Sasuke grip his blanket even tighter.

"He's with his actual family, Luffy," Sasuke says through gritted teeth.

"Oh."

There's a long silence, and Sasuke almost believes that Luffy fell asleep. Were it not for the fact that he's slowly creeping towards Sasuke. The ex-shinobi sighs, but lets the younger boy scoot up close to him, knowing it's the fastest way to get Luffy to sleep. The addition of Luffy's face in his shirt is an unexpected and unwelcome one, but before he can throw the younger boy off, Luffy says,

"Please don't leave me too." Spoken desperately, pleadingly into Sasuke's tank top. And Sasuke's hand stills.

"If I didn't chase after you, then I would be alone, and being alone is more painful than being hurt!" The words ring like church bells in Sasuke's mind. He drops his hands around Luffy, and offers him what meagre comfort Sasuke can give. He almost forgot how much Luffy needs him— almost forgot that he is needed. It isn't Sabo Luffy proclaimed to need, but Sasuke. The remembrance is sobering enough to drain the ire from his mind.

"I won't," he promises softly, even as Luffy trembles with emotion.

Sasuke doesn't know what will happen with Sabo, but he'll make sure that he's here for Luffy.

Kid's fucked up enough as it is without the abandonment issues.

Flames lick the edges of Sasuke's shoulders and legs as he tries to pull Luffy through the thin gaps of unburned areas in what's left of Grey-Terminal. Although no longer outright sobbing, Sasuke feels the other boy pathetically sniffling and shaking, but Sasuke doesn't have time to indulge that. If they don't hurry, they'll both die here, like so many others have; if the smell of burnt flesh and the cries from beyond the fires are anything to go by.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Sasuke's body stiffens as he slowly turns. Bluejam and several of his minions are there, thoroughly scorched, and aside from their leader, they all look frightened for their lives.

"What do you want?" Sasuke growls, standing in front of Luffy.

"I think you've taken what belongs to me. Give me back all the treasure you stole." Bluejam must have snapped.

"You're seriously asking about this right now?! We're going to die!" Sasuke's incredulous.

"Then you better tell me where it is." Bluejam sneers and points a pistol at him.

"Fuck you." Sasuke takes a deep breath. Neither he nor Luffy can afford this kind of delay. Even as they speak, more and more of the trash heap is being lit up, eliminating escape pathways. "Look, go to the tallest tree in the middle of the forest. You'll find it there."

"Suppose I don't believe you."

"Suppose you die here instead!" Sasuke snaps.

"Take me there," Bluejam orders.

"Right now? No way in hell."

"Care to repeat that?" Bluejam asks, cocking the pistol.

"Fuck you. No way in hell."

"Suit yourself. I hope your brother agrees." He punctuates his sentence with the click of a trigger being pulled. And Sasuke turns, only to see Luffy has shifted out from behind him and is lined up with the end of the barrel. It doesn't matter how fast he is, Sasuke can't beat a bullet fired practically point-blank.

He watches, horrified, as the bullet makes contact with Luffy's chest, piercing the cloth and digging deeply into Luffy's heart— that's when the bullet keeps digging and digging, extending Luffy's skin a good couple feet. The bullet pops back out, shooting somewhere into the fire. The younger boy collapses, and Sasuke is right there with him, kneeling beside him, eyes wide with disbelief.

"Ace, Ace," Luffy pants, clawing at his chest with a terrified expression.

"Luffy, you're okay." Sasuke catches Luffy's hand before he can hurt his skin. That was close. Too close. If Luffy hadn't have eaten his fruit, then right now he'd be—

"I forgot the little shit was rubber. A sword will probably do the trick, right?"Bluejam says, drawing his cutlass.

The relief Sasuke feels quickly morphs into a deep fury that was once reserved only for one man—

Sasuke's eyes dart around the trash heap until they land on a jagged looking scrap of metal about the size of a dagger a foot or so away. It'll be enough.

"You're going to regret this," Sasuke promises as he quickly picks up the metal scrap and stands in front of his still prone brother.

"I am, am I? Really—" Bluejam is cut off by a piece of metal now sticking through his head. The other men gasp and shriek with horror, but Sasuke's not done yet. Running forward, he yanks his weapon from Bluejam's head and turns on the other four men. Most of them are too terrified to block his attacks properly, and those fights are short. The one man who does put up a decent fight has his legs kicked out from under him before the makeshift dagger finds his throat.

Sasuke stands slowly, panting from the exertion. He looks around to make sure there's no one left, and he finds himself surrounded by dead bodies. And red. The metallic taste settles in his mouth as it fills the air. Sasuke can feel it sinking into his hair and underneath his fingernails, a sensation not unfamiliar. And he's suddenly fourteen again, and Orochimaru has his hand on his shoulder. He's pointing to the different prone bodies, and dictating what it is he wants Sasuke to do to them. Stepping forward with a numb and cold mind and heart, he does—

"Ace!"

Sasuke barely stops himself from lashing out as Luffy tackles him to the ground.

"Ace, are you okay?" Luffy demands. "Your hands." Looking down, Sasuke sees that the jagged bit of metal has indeed cut into his flesh, but that fact seems distant in the surreal environment. Little seven-year-old Luffy just watched him kill five people, he's caked in blood, and Luffy wants to know if Sasuke is okay? Not to mention Luffy himself was shot.

Sasuke's eyes dart to Luffy's chest. Most of the cloth was torn up by the bullet. There's a bruise there, but Luffy seems to be alright. The relief Sasuke feels is inexplicable. The younger boy starts hacking on the smoke, and Sasuke suddenly remembers the situation.

"C'mon Luffy!" Sasuke orders, grabbing him by the hand, ignoring the pain from his injuries. The two start running through the thick flames.

"Ace! Luffy!" The two start and look around before seeing Magra and Dadan standing a little ways off.

"There you two are!" Dadan says with relief. It's then that she seems to notice all the blood on Sasuke's body.

"Are you—"

"It's not mine." Sasuke's voice is blank.

Both bandits are visibly disturbed.

It's Magra who manages to say, "Uh, well, that's good, I guess."

"Come on, we need to get out of here."

"Right." Dadan immediately grabs Luffy with one powerful hand and starts running again. Sasuke is indescribably grateful as Magra leads them back through the flames into the forest and back to the hideout.

Things at the bandit's hideout are quiet and grim the morning after the fire. A lot of them are in shock at the cruel atrocity. The action is horrendous, but it doesn't disturb Sasuke as much. He knows that rulers can be corrupt and commit inhumane crimes. It's nothing new to him. The reality of his unpreparedness is new though. He didn't realize how weak and unready he really was. Right now, he's making a strap out of some alligator leather they made a few weeks ago for his iron pipe. He never wants to be caught without it again. If he hadn't have found the metal scrap, well, he doesn't know for certain how that fight would have turned out.

Luffy's nearby, watching two beetles fight each other with rapt interest. Sasuke snorts a little. Despite his most recent brush with death, Luffy sluffs it off easily. Which Sasuke is secretly grateful for . . . Luffy's smiles haven't dimmed despite the veritable blood bath Sasuke created. He doesn't know how Luffy's innocence survived seeing a crime against humanity and then several murders. It did though, and Sasuke allows himself a little smile.

He carefully cuts away a bit of the leather with a knife. Maybe he'll make one for Luffy too. Knowing Luffy though, Sasuke's sure he'll still manage to both forget and misplace his pipe even if it is strapped to him. He could make one for Sabo though—

Sasuke sighs. It's been three weeks since they've heard or seen anything of Sabo. He has a feeling that maybe their acquaintance is actually a passing one, just never meant to be. He hopes Sabo sees now that it's a good thing that they never exchanged that stupid sake and became brothers.

Sasuke is shaken from his thoughts by the sound of approaching footfalls. He turns and sees Dogra running towards the base, breathing very heavily. When Dogra sees Sasuke and Luffy sitting outside the base, his face whitens and he avoids eye-contact. In fact, he walks straight past them and quickly heads inside. Luffy and he exchange looks before following after the bandit.

They find him standing tensely in front of Dadan, still panting from the run.

"What is it?" Dadan asks, brows furrowed.

"It's Sabo," Dogra utters. "He's dead."

Sasuke's mind freezes and he drops the knife he was holding. The next thing he knows he's knocked Dogra over and is gripping the cuff of the bandit's shirt.

"Liar," he whispers.

"Ace!" Dadan thunders.

"Sabo is with his family! Why the hell would he be dead?! You're lying to me! Don't you know how much this'll upset Luffy?!"

"He was trying to get away!" Dogra snaps back, effectively silencing Sasuke. "He went out on the ocean with a boat and crossed the Tenryuubito's ship. They blew him out of the water. I didn't believe it myself when I saw it but that's the truth! I— I'm sorry, Ace."

His voice trailed off to a whisper by the end of it and Sasuke is left stunned, kneeling over the bandit. It's the sound of Luffy's loud pathetic cries that stirs him, but it isn't in a good way.

"Fuck them!" Sasuke shouts. He gets up and grabs his pipe. Fuck them and their stupid royal privilege! Didn't they care he was a civilian, a child? That he had a dream—

"All people are the same when they're dead, Sasuke-kun," Orochimaru hisses in his ears. Maybe he's gotten weak, his reaction to Sabo's death should be calm, but it's been a while since he lost a comrade. Well, Sasuke knows just the thing to get him back in the right mindset. After all, he was an avenger.

"Ace," Dadan says, blocking the exit.

"You're in my way," he grits out.

"I'm not moving. Sit down and shut up, you brat."

"I'll fucking kill you if you get in my way, you—"

"Shut the hell up!" Dadan screams, slamming her fist over Sasuke's head. She pins him to the ground and meets his hateful stare full on. "You think you can do something about this, huh? You think you're going to go avenge his death? Tough shit! You're nothing in this world, and they have all the power! There is nothing you can do to change anything!"

"You don't know that!"

"You'll die before you even get there!"

"Dying is better than sitting here and being useless like you all!" Sasuke shouts.

"Is dying better than leaving Luffy alone?!"

And Sasuke freezes. His eyes drift over to where Luffy's sitting. The younger boy is trembling and sobbing pathetically, face red and covered in snot and tears. It pisses him off.

Because Luffy is the source of his sudden weakness of resolve.

"Shut up, Luffy!" he shouts.

Magra makes a soothing motion. "Ace calm down—"

"Stop crying or I'll make you!"

"That's enough!" Dadan grabs both of his arms, dodging his responding kicks. She then proceeds to hold him against the tree and calls for Dogra to bring her rope. Sasuke is furious as he pathetically lashes out. There's nothing he can do as she ties his hands first before binding him to the tree. Dadan has seen too many of his escapes to leave any room for error. Her knots are tight, and complex— too complex for Sasuke to undo without seeing them. If he had chakra, then he'd be out of here in seconds. But he doesn't. He's stuck on this stupid world, in a younger, weaker body, forced to watch people die because the government's corrupt, and forced to listen to the wailing of pathetic crybabies—

"SHUT UP!" he yells so loudly his voice cracks.

Luffy's only response is a more pathetic wail.

"SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! REAL MEN DON'T CRY YOU PATHETIC CRYBABY!"

But Luffy doesn't shut up. He keeps wailing well into the night despite Sasuke's shouting and threats. The wails peter out in the morning, only due to exhaustion.

Two days pass, and Sasuke loses more and more energy. He struggles to fight against the pointlessness of everything. Senseless, senseless violence . . . maybe it's because of how relatively peaceful the world is, but he'd forgotten what people are really like. He meditates until he's gained sufficient control of himself again, and comes to term with reality. People are evil at heart. They're willing to push others into the dirt, into graves if it enables them to get further in life. Everyone is like that. Except for maybe Luffy and Sa—

"Ace."

Sasuke's eyes open slowly to find Dadan standing before him. She looks like shit.

"I have a letter from Sabo," she says after a long pause. "I'll let you down as long as you don't attack any of us again."

Sasuke nods stiffly, more than done being tied to a tree. The bandit undoes the ropes on the tree with her knife. The knots around his hands take more time for her to undo by hand, but eventually, they too are off.

Sasuke flexes his hands, trying to get more blood flow to the numb feeling limbs.

An envelope is shoved under his nose. Sasuke takes it from Dadan's hands before turning on his heels and heading away from the hideout and into the forest. As he walks the familiar paths of his childhood, he opens the letter.

"Ace, Luffy, I hope you weren't hurt in the fire. I'm worried, but I believe that you are safe. I'm sorry about this, but by the time you read this letter, I'll be out to sea. A lot has happened and I've decided to set sail ahead of you guys. My destination won't be in this country, but elsewhere."

Sasuke stops for a moment and gives a humorless snort. Sabo told the truth. His destination wasn't in this country, or even this world, but the next instead. He shakes his head and continues reading while resuming his trek through the trees.

"There, I will become stronger. I'll become a pirate! Let's become pirates with more freedom than anyone else and meet up again someday. The three of us. Somewhere out on the wide, free sea I'm sure someday we'll meet."

"Not quite," Sasuke whispers to himself.

"Oh and Ace, it might be strange, but the bond between us is my treasure. I know you said you'd never be my brother. I hope you'll forgive me for thinking of you and Luffy that way anyways."

Sasuke grits his teeth.

"Luffy might still be a weakling and a crybaby, but he's still young. I hope you'll rethink becoming a brother with him. God knows he needs one. Well, whatever you decide, seeing as I'll be away, please take care of my little brother for me."

— Sabo

Sasuke's grip on the paper is so tight he rips it. It tears clean across the middle, and without hesitation he rips it again and again until all he holds is shreds. Having reached the cliffs he promptly dumps the scraps over the edge and watches them flutter down towards the ocean like a flock of butterflies.

"Fuck," he utters, voice weak. Because how dare Sabo? Sasuke never wanted brothers! One was enough— one was too much. If only those two idiots just stopped pushing it, maybe they could have made out less scathed, but it was too late.

Sasuke looks towards the blue sky searchingly, angrily. Why does it always have to come down to brothers? Every time. If Sabo had just said 'cousins' Sasuke would be okay, bothered, unsettled, angry, but okay. People die, children die— he knows that. Really, he should be content. He was hoping their bond would fade, after all. But not like this though. He isn't ready for this. Isn't ready for brothers—

It's a completely fucked up situation he's found himself in. Even though he resisted. Sasuke tries to comfort himself with the fact that he resisted it. But he never had a say.

The choice was taken from his hands a long time ago. Maybe no matter the life, no matter the reincarnation, he's condemned to the strange phenomenon known as brotherhood.

. . . Maybe he's doomed to repeat it until he finally gets it right.

He takes a deep breath in. His hands clench so tightly that the wounds on his palm reopen, and blood steadily drips onto the grass.

Where does this leave him? One bond is severed. Not by his own hand, nor will. What should he do about the second? He's disgusted with the way his heart hurts and rebels against the thought of leaving Luffy behind, ignoring him again. A humorless, pained snort escapes him. Itachi was right. He is weak. Sometimes he just can't understand why he cares for such a stupid little boy. It isn't his responsibility to look after him, nor his obligation. Blood doesn't bind them. But a slight urge always comes over him, to help the other boy. Maybe it's because Luffy is so needy. Normally it would piss Sasuke off to have someone so needy and clingy— but in this world where he has no power, Luffy makes him feel strong. In this world where he has no redeeming qualities, Luffy, impossibly, mistakenly, sees something in him worthwhile. In this world which makes Sasuke question his very existence, if it's even good that he was born when he killed the woman who gave birth to him, his mother— Luffy soothes his doubt and makes him feel important like he's worth something.

. . . And Luffy gives him something to live for. After all, he does need a lot of looking after.

With that thought in mind, he walks along the edges of the cliffs until he comes across Luffy, who's lying on the ground, hat over his face.

Sasuke steadily approaches. He then pulls back one fist, and whacks Luffy over the head.

"Are you going to mope forever?" he asks, crossing his arms stoically. Luffy refuses to look up, instead he buries his head further into his old straw hat.

He waits for Luffy to speak, but all he gets is the sound of the wind running through the grass and trees. He's about to hit Luffy again when the younger of the two finally opens his mouth.

"I want to get stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and stronger so I never have to lose anyone again!" Luffy declares, finally lifting his head from the ground. He meet's Sasuke's eyes, and all Sasuke sees is determination and a promise. The look is a familiar one, but for once, the memory doesn't bring him anger. The words slip past Sasuke's lips without him thinking about it.

"To protect your precious people."

Luffy nods strongly before tears build in his eyes. "I don't want Ace to die. Please don't die. Promise me, please."

Sasuke's hands fall to his sides. It's never a promise he's had to make anyone before, and it isn't even realistic, but he finds himself kneeling beside the other boy.

"I promise. I will never die." He takes a deep breath and finally utters the word he's been trying to avoid for months now. "I could never leave behind such a stupid little brother to fend for himself."

And Sasuke's hands are full of crying seven-year-old. Luffy's arms wrap around him tight. Blood from Sasuke's palms spreads over Luffy's skin, and if that isn't a sign of what Sasuke does to everything he touches, he doesn't know what is. But Luffy's grip is tight, uncaring of the streaks of blood.

"I love you, Ace, Sabo," Luffy whispers against his shirt.

Sasuke freezes. He still doesn't get it. Luffy claims to love him. But he has no reason to at all. Hell, he doesn't even have a reason to like Sasuke. In this world, Sasuke isn't the best in the class, or happens to be good looking— he's a rude, caustic ten-year-old who's quick to violence, and he's really done nothing to garner the grace Luffy treats him with. But Luffy loves him anyways.

And Sasuke remembers gently, gradually, that this is what the love of a family member is like.

He places his hand on Luffy's back. With the final motion, the pact is sealed.

Looking past Luffy and out into the wide sea, he promises to himself and to Sabo.

He will be a brother to Luffy— for better or worse.

And Sasuke keeps his promise. Well, he tries anyways.

It's strange at first, being the older brother this time around, but he thinks he's doing a good job. Well, maybe not initially. At first, he had no idea how to behave. Though Luffy does a fantastic job distracting Sasuke from thinking about his past, Itachi sneaks into his mind more and more often as the years go by. Initially, the reminders make him hateful. When his behavior mimics Itachi's in the slightest, he can't help but recoil, hiding himself from his new little brother for a few hours.

It's after one of those times when Sasuke is trying to put any kind of distance between himself and Luffy, with the latter tagging along determinedly, that Sasuke's point of view changes. Because so irked with Luffy's persistence and his own behavior, he doesn't have the presence of mind to keep an eye out for bears, nor to defend his brother when he starts scrapping with one. Sasuke actually pauses and turns to watch. He sees it as an opportunity for Luffy to learn firstly, to leave him alone when he needs space, and secondly, not to bite off more than he can chew. His attempt at tough love backfires horrendously, leaving a severely gouged Luffy trembling on the jungle floor, bleeding out in the rain. The first thing Sasuke does is crash the bear's head in. After that, he lifts the younger boy and runs to the bandits' hideout so fast the world around him blurs.

When he arrives, asking, demanding, begging for them to do something for Luffy, he ignites a frenzy of activity. Dadan's large first aid kit is brought in from the closet, Magra carefully removes what's left of Luffy's shirt, while Dogra prepares the table for impromptu operation. Sasuke takes a deep breath when he sees the wound in its entirety. Luffy's going to need a lot of stitches.

Luffy sobs and screams with pain, barely conscious, as Dadan and the bandits patch the gaping wounds. When Dadan angrily, worriedly demands what happened, Sasuke finds himself at a loss of words as he realizes it's all his fault. The last part tumbles out of his mouth numbly.

She says nothing. All of the bandits keep quiet as they continue working on Luffy. After all but one of the bandits leave the room, and when Luffy is finally all bandaged up, looking painfully similar to a mummy, Magra addresses the issue.

"Ace," he says softly. "This is no joking matter."

As if Sasuke doesn't know.

Some of his self-loathing must show on his face because Magra places a hand on his back, ignoring how Sasuke tenses.

"You're young still. And we all make mistakes," he continues. "Luffy will be fine in a few weeks; you'll see."

And Sasuke freezes, actually freezes in a way he hasn't since Orochimaru petrified him in the Forest of Death a lifetime ago. Because he is an adult. And he does know better. Because he almost got Luffy killed.

Kneeling next to the damaged younger boy, face buried in his hands, Sasuke cries for the first time in years.

"I'm not good enough," he manages through the tears. "I don't deserve to have Luffy as a brother."

"Ace." Magra rubs gentle circles into his back, and Sasuke can't find the energy to resist.

"I didn't even want to be his brother," Sasuke confesses. "But him and Sabo kept pushing and pushing."

"You're good for each other," the bandit points out. "You're much happier now than you were before. None of us knew you could actually smile before Luffy came around."

Sasuke snorts, and he tries to stem the flow of tears but they and his confessions won't stop.

"How good am I to him? He nearly died."

"Maa, Ace. I don't mean to downplay Luffy's strengths, but do you really think he would've lasted so long in this forest if you hadn't been there to help him?"

Sasuke's mind casts back to the time Luffy was almost killed by a tiger, long before Sasuke even bothered talking to the other boy. If the other animal hadn't attacked the tiger, Luffy probably wouldn't be here now. Magra has a point, but still.

"Besides, you know how proud Luffy is to have you as a brother," Magra reminds him. "He ran down to Fuusha village and told anyone who would listen that he has a brother now. Actually, come to think of it, he told all of us at Mount Colubo over and over for the first week. I thought he was going to lose his voice he said it so many times."

Sasuke remembers. How could he forget? It was annoying as all hell. And moderately embarrassing. He shoves the memory aside though.

"That doesn't change the fact that I can't be someone's brother. I just can't. Why the hell did I agree to this?!" He cusses as the tears continue to flow.

"Because Luffy needs you."

And he knows Magra has no idea what those words mean to him— to be needed. It's how Luffy reached him in the first place all those months ago. It's how he can justify this bond, the one he feels nauseas and so incredibly grateful about at the same time. It's often times his reason to live even though this life is so shitty, even though he murdered someone just from being brought into this world, even though he doesn't deserve it—

"Besides, do you really think Luffy would stand by and let you dwell on this, or worse, stop being his brother?" Magra continues, unaware of his tumultuous thoughts. That's . . . also an admittedly good point. Luffy was persistent before he even knew Sasuke. And now that they have a bond, Sasuke doubts that Luffy would accept any fracture in their relationship.

. . . But maybe after this bear attack, Luffy will understand better. He'll reject Sasuke and set out on his own. Luffy's strong enough to survive the forest now. He doesn't need Sasuke nearly as much these days. Except for those times when Luffy wakes up in the night, screaming about Sabo, and the incidents where he falls asleep carelessly on the forest floor, despite how many times Sasuke has lectured him, and the days when he struggles to even go near Grey-Terminal, and those moments when an open flame makes him jump out of his skin, and—

Sasuke might be deluding himself. But if Luffy decides to dissolve their bond, he'll accept it (though he'll maybe keep an eye on him for a while).

Except when Luffy wakes up, demanding food and fidgeting despite the pain he's in, he still looks at Sasuke the same way— fondly, excitedly, happily. And when he makes his great escape from the makeshift infirmary, he pulls Sasuke along with his weak hands, going on and on about the anaconda nest he discovered and how he wants to show him.

It seems Luffy is too forgiving to let Sasuke go . . . though he'll never admit it, even to himself, he's grateful. He vows to never let something like this happen again.

After that incident, Sasuke takes what he remembers about Itachi as a challenge— to be better. He makes time for Luffy always. Never does he blow the younger boy off, even when he isn't in the mood. Because he knows how that feels when all Luffy wants to do is become stronger (to protect his precious people, and Sasuke has mixed feelings due to the fact that he's at the top of the list). So he indulges Luffy. It's much easier than it ought to be when Luffy's eyes light up every time. The younger boy should be used to it by now, but every time Sasuke gives him his time, some of his food, a backhanded compliment, his smile is just as wide and just as bright as the first time he did any of those things.

In the following years, he guides Luffy through the basics of the shinobi arts: including stealth, tracking, knife throwing, an altered form of his clan's fighting style (which Luffy alters even more, making it unrecognizable to even him), lessons on deceit (which he eventually understands will always be lost on his brother), and basic first aid. His little brother will never have the patience for being silent, subversive, or stealthy, but he'll at least have the capacity for it. What makes Sasuke laugh is how Luffy never questions how he knows all these things. Of course Sasuke has plenty of lies prepared, but never does he have an opportunity to use them. Luffy oohs and ahhs and asks nothing except for Sasuke to teach him more.

He doesn't just teach Luffy fighting and survival techniques, Sasuke teaches him life skills too. For example, he teaches Luffy how to read (real books, not just menus). Calligraphy is next on the list, and until Luffy can write his characters neatly, Sasuke doesn't relent. Sasuke even goes so far as to clean up his own language (sans when their shitty Grandfather is around), going back and using the formal speech patterns he learned when he was younger, all in an attempt to be a good influence on his little brother. This is his effort to give Luffy some of the tools Sasuke has at his disposal.

And in exchange, Luffy gives Sasuke laughter, which is never a talent Sasuke's had, but his sardonic chuckles have built into hearty laughs while he wasn't paying attention. Luffy teaches him how to display affection though accidental familial touches, hugs, hi-fives— it gets to a point where they sleep curled up on one another every night and Sasuke no longer sees it as unusual or unwanted. Luffy gives Sasuke the capacity to smile instead of smirk, which he learns to do widely over the years. And Luffy gives him Love, in such a pure form that Sasuke doesn't know what to do with it. Because he's never had access to such an untapped, unlimited resource as Luffy's love is. After tentative sips, he eventually flocks towards it, like a thirsty traveler to an oasis. The Love takes getting used to, but he does get used to it eventually.

And the last thing he learns, is how to return it. He vows to do so endlessly for Luffy. Because he's given him so much without trying or knowing.

He isn't completely healed by any means— he still has trust issues, still has anger boiling beneath his skin. But he knows that he's capable of love, of maybe being important to someone, and it makes all the difference in the world.

Sasuke wants to live up to the person Luffy somehow sees in him. He's not afraid to admit it— Luffy saved his life. And continues to give him a reason to live.

So he'll do what he can to protect his brother, to give him happiness. Even at the cost of his life . . .

And Sasuke exhales sharply. The sounds of explosions and the battle cries of soldiers and pirates alike remind him of his surroundings. He doesn't know why he's thinking about those memories on the executioner's platform, with Sengoku hovering ominously behind him, and the shitty geezer sitting next to him. Maybe he wants to feel guilty for what's about to happen. He's breaking his promise to Luffy because his execution is eminent. He's not that concerned by his death though. His crew's life is completely another story. They're fighting for him— dying for him. He's not worth it.

It's about the time he's thinking that when Luffy falls from the sky, landing before several extremely strong admirals, but his eyes are only trained on Sasuke.

"ACE!"

And god, Luffy is such an idiot, such a fucking idiot!

"Get the hell out of here!"

Please

"Go away!"

Just don't

"I don't need my pathetic weak little brother trying to save me!"

Die here.

"YOU'RE MY BROTHER!" Luffy shouts back, his voice echoing throughout the battleground and pirates and marines alike turn to look at him despite the battles around them.

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU WANT ME HERE, I'M SAVING YOU ANYWAYS EVEN IF IT KILLS ME."

And Sasuke doesn't think he's ever heard anything so awful in his life. Yet the soft edges of joy find him even though sharp metal hangs over his neck. Joy and sadness.

"I'm not worth it! All of you, I'm not worth it!"

But it's too late, his brother has given everyone more spirit, more will to fight, and he doesn't think there's anything he can do to stop it.

"Fucking idiots," he grits out, crying tears of grief and happiness.

Because this is tangible love in its most painful form.

Sasuke is utterly numb with shock and ecstasy when Luffy finds him on the platform and unlocks his cuffs. Because now he can fight, now he can do something. The grin of sheer happiness on his little brother's face only sweetens the moment even more.

"You're one hell of a guy, Luffy."

His brother laughs his familiar laugh, making Sasuke smile too.

He and Luffy run away from the ruins of the platform, beating up marines as they go. It's been so long since Sasuke has fought with his little brother, and yet their synchronism hasn't faded a bit. They move as one, eliminating those ahead of them one at a time until they clear a safe path to the lower part of the fortress.

It's there that Sasuke is forced to face the terrible realization that his father is going to die here. He bows as low as he can, because he's so proud and indebted to this man— the greatest man he's ever known in either life.

He feels at peace with his surrogate father. . . but then Akainu starts talking, and a new wave of fury builds in his being, drowning out all the sound in the area. Even, he regrets to say, Luffy's pleading words. That is, until Akainu aims a magma-laced fist spiraling towards his younger brother. And then Sasuke just reacts. His body moves to Luffy, sheltering him.

He expects an impact. What he doesn't expect, but gets, is a pulse of chakra spreading through his being. His eyes widen, and for the first time in decades he feels the power of the sharingan swirling in his irises. And he doesn't know what he's doing, but he grabs his little brother anyways, clutching him protectively, and squeezing his eyes shut, he just thinks to escape this place. Luffy's cry is the last thing he hears before the pair is sent spiraling into areas unknown.

.

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So . . . lots happens. Hope this makes up for the long delay. It's about 10,000 words. I couldn't find the right place to cut it off.

The reason this chapter took me so long was because I was fighting with how Sasuke would respond to Luffy and Sabo asking him to be brothers. As for any reactions of Sasuke's that seem weak or unexpected of him, I defend by pointing out that he is ten again. In addition, he's in a different world. One where Itachi doesn't exist, there's no chakra, he's much weaker, and, like Luffy, he has no one (to a more extreme extent). This changes everything.

You may be wondering where the hell all the time Ace/Sasuke spent with Whitebeard went. I decided to skip it. Maybe I'll do flashbacks if enough of you complain, but most if his character development happens in his early years. So yeah. Shit's going down real fast.

I'd love a review or two. :) As for the next chapter . . . well I can promise is won't be such a long wait. A week or two, tops. I just have to make two very important decisions.

Thanks for reading!