'Thank you for loving me…'

That statement made with such a broken and soft voice echoed in Ace's and Sabo's mind as they shared a look over their little brother who quickly fell asleep rather peacefully between them, even though his cheeks were still wet and a couple more of tears fell from his closed eyes. Normally, they would be totally embarrassed and red from head to toe, if only they weren't immersed in their thoughts of what just happened.

The older brothers sat in silence for a few minutes, watching over Luffy as he moved slightly once in a while. Sabo wasn't sure what to think, and he had his head so full of thoughts and so empty at the same time that it was really confusing him, but mostly, worry occupied most of his mind.

Ace, surprising him once again, spoke first, taking the other's attention with one hand and mouthing his words in order to not make too much noise and avoid waking up the small child. "Why do you think he ran away from us? Was it a test or something?"

Sabo honestly responded by shrugging his shoulder and resting his head on his elbow. "I dunno. Yesterday he was just fine as usual." He took a moment to pull up the blanket to better cover their little brother. "We should just ask him, it's not like he would lie to us anyway."

Luffy moved his head a little, closing one small hand around the blanket up to his neck as the older two boys stayed still and held their breath in. After a few seconds passed and they were sure he wouldn't wake up, both brothers turned to face the ceiling feeling even more tired and drained from the event. Ace put his arms under his head and Sabo over his own stomach.

"I don't like it. He never cried like this. Stupid." Ace grumped and turned to the side, so that he was showing his back to them in what seemed to be a protective manner – or maybe just because he wanted to hide his expression.

Sabo turned his head and was about to respond when he noticed Ace's breath steady and slow down, as his other brother tried to fall asleep, matching the younger's breath. He decides to turn his body towards them lying on one side and while he closed his eyes trying to get some rest too couldn't help but finish Ace's words in his mind.

'Yeah, stupid little brother. Of course we love you.'

He had the feeling both Ace and him won't be able to sleep at all.


The next time Luffy woke up, he was instantly aware of his surroundings, basking in the sun's first morning light. Still, he was once again slightly taken aback by the sight of the wooden ceiling of the tree house he built with his brothers what seemed like an eternity ago. He blinked away at another stupid wave of sadness that made his eyes sting. He was feeling better and didn't feel like crying again.

As he sat up as slowly as possible he looked over at his two big brothers sleeping scattered around him, and that's when he noticed Ace's arm thrown across his small legs and Sabo's head close to where his own was moments ago.

Despite himself, he smiled at the weird sight. They always slept like a mess, limbs and all over the place while drooling on the sheets or even on the other's clothes, but there was something sweet about this. For the first time in a while, he felt protected. Safe.

Just what day was this…? Luffy rubs his eyes with his small hands. He didn't have the strength to go through all of his childhood – traumatic – experiences. Actually, he doesn't even know what to do to get out of any situation at the moment. What if the fire happened again? It was bound to, Sabo was still here with them, but how much time he's got?

His lips scrunched up at that thought. He just couldn't look at the fire the same way anymore, and definitely couldn't stand even thinking about being trapped in a fire, and getting into a fight where his big brother and Dadan almost didn't make it out alive. Other memories came back flowing into his mind, and there was Ace, smiling brightly at him and surrounding the two of them – plus Mr. 3 – with his fire, scolding him for being so reckless. Same fire together with blood that was dripping off Ace's injuries in his last moments. Or was the fire that consumed Sabo's small boat that was crossing his mind?

He needed to stop doing this. But he did need to think about what to do next, at which point of his life was and how to go back to his present.

Was Ace already starting to be that kind older brother in whatever year he ended up in? He hoped so, even if he was quite sure that yesterday he punched him for making him worried when they found him in the forest. Luffy already didn't feel like facing his brothers, let alone facing the rude bully that Ace – and in a small part, Sabo too – was the first months he met him.

Being there with them as they slept did ease his mind but couldn't help himself from thinking that it was wrong. He remembered Jimbei's words to him, as he thought of his friends. How would he able to move on and go back to them with the sources of his recent nightmares was just next to him, to make sure he revived every single second he spent down in hell and then in the battlefield, while even old memories he was sure almost forgot come back to taunt him too?

How would he explain to his living, young brothers that he was trying so hard to grieve them, because he needed to be strong. Blinking his eyes, he thought for a moment he was again in Marineford, and he was kneeling before the two bodies of his brothers, smoke coming out from their backs.

Luffy slightly slapped his own cheeks trying to gather himself and send that scene away from his mind and forced himself to look anywhere else. He did not want to cry.

He quickly checked on his brothers to see if they made a sign they would wake up soon, and after being sure he slowly made his way out from Ace's hug.

The small child conceded himself a few minutes to get a good look at their hideout, taking in every small detail even in the way the sunlight hit the floor. He went near a small table the settled near the exit, picking up the worn papers scattered on it, searching for the right one.

It was a thing they started to do, because it had happened that one of them got out before the others woke up, causing the two who woke up later to panic. Luffy chose the card that said on it, written in a rough but still readable way, 'dream cliff', and held it into his small hands before deciding where to put it.

It was the one where all three of them exchanged their dreams, so of course they chose this name. He glanced again at his two sleeping brothers as he remembered their reaction to his dream at the end of the journey.

When he looked back at the card, he almost gasped in shock to see into his hands Ace's vivre card burning up and let it fall to his feet, trying to steady his breath as his vision blurred and covered his eyes with his small hands.

This was so stupid! He feared that if he opened his eyes, he would still see the vivre card consuming itself in front of him, and then…

Luffy forced himself to breathe, biting his lips to ground himself, while removing his hands and opening his eyes, thankfully to see just the card unmoving on the wooden floor. Without giving himself the time to think, he quickly got it and placed it near his brothers' heads, and just as fast got out of the treehouse.

He walked absently through the forest in the cliff's direction, still trying to get his breath back to a normal pace, almost reaching his destination when a booming voice interrupted his line of thoughts.

"Already up, Luffy?" He instantly recognized the voice but didn't have the usual shiver of fear down his spine he always got whenever he saw his grandpa. Instead, as the child turned around to look at Garp, he felt a weird sense of reassurance, but stayed unresponsive.

"That's good, we're starting early today!" The old man continued uninterrupted and putting his hands up in the air to show his muscles. "Where are the other two brats? Time to train to become marines!" He asked confidently as he put his hands back down to his hips. Unknowingly to the older man and out of control from his own head Luffy watched the scene in the war in which he last saw his grandpa, on repeat inside his little head.

The boy grabbed the side of his hat and pulled it down to cover his eyes from the other's sight, letting a small tremble shake his body. He always knew his grandfather would eventually become an enemy, but knowing that when it will come to it, his gramps did not actually have the heart to hit him in the middle of a battlefield… It really made him happy and welcomed the tears of joy that gathered into his eyes without fighting.

Before Garp could question out loud his silence and start to worry he let go of the straw hat's sides and put on his grin, even if softer than the one he usually made, running straight to the older man to hug him.

'…fighting pirates since long before you were born!'

'That's the path you two have chosen!'

'I can't do it, grandpa! Just get out of the way!'

'Do it or Ace will…'

"I love you grandpa." His phrase came out muffled from where he was hiding in Garp's stomach, letting the few tears that escaped him dry out on the man's shirt and hoping the other wouldn't notice. Luckly his gramps seemed so taken aback by the sudden verbal and physical display of affection that didn't even speak, and just stood there looking down at his grandson, a frown making its way on his forehead.

Luffy never really thought about it, but since they're going to be enemies one day he might as well enjoy most of the time he had with him. When he was little, they had more moments like this… But then it was all about training. The child blinked his eyes a couple of times as realization started to settle in, as he thought of future events and connecting the dots.

"Gramps, do you want us to become marines, so we'll be safe?" Luffy looked up to see his grandpa's expression, genuinely curious about what he could answer.

"Luffy…" Garp sadly pronounced his name but didn't continue to talk.

"Won't they try to catch me anyway 'cause of who my dad is? Even though that's so stupid." He put on the best smile he could manage, still refusing to let him go from the hug.

Garp surprisingly stayed silent for a few more moments. "Luffy, how do you know about this?" He could hear from his voice that the old man was saddened and serious.

"You told me." The child easily answered. Check mate. It wasn't a lie! It just hasn't happened yet. Luffy tearfully smiled more at the victory. He does know he sucks at lying.

"Well, it's a secret, so don't tell anyone else." Garp seemed to have regained himself from the shock, and carefully hugged his grandson.

"Can I tell Ace and Sabo?" Luffy asked hopefully leaning with his cheek to Garp's stomach, while the latter spared a moment of thought as he picked up his grandson and hold him into his arms, a thing he hasn't done in years, and Luffy didn't even bat an eye, instead passing to hug his neck.

"Sure, why not." As he responded the old man started to peacefully walk towards to where he remembered the brats' wooden tree house was.

"What about Dadan?"

"Eh, I guess…"

"Makino?"

"You're pushing your luck, brat."

Luffy only laughed softly, closing his eyes and enjoying the moment, resting his head on his grandfather's broad shoulder. "Shanks?"

"Definitely not."

Hello, everyone!

Thank you for reading as always.

This is something I wanted to add, and cheered me up to write, so not really the heart-wrenching comfort writing that was the first chapter, but just a little thing to smile for and still a comfort fic for me.

Will write more of it (especially heart-wrenching chapters), because I feel like i'm going to need it.

qasreenhumairasharif, Coyotegirl212, lisyaaz, Smiley-Nami: thank you very much for the support! Your reviews and encouragment actually helped me, so hope you'll enjoy the rest of the story.