"I'll get out of your hair in the morning, now that Ace is settled in," Garp sat at her kitchen table, thanking her for the cup of tea she handed him, his eyes barely leaving where Ace was napping on the couch. He smiled, turning to look at Crocodile. "Thanks for doing this."

Crocodile propped her head on her hook, gazing at Ace, stirring her tea. "I really don't mind. Besides, it'll be nice to have the company," She admitted, her eyes soft.

"Good, good." Garp placed his cup on the table, "I told Sengoku." He grimaced.

Crocodile gave a quiet, amused snort, "And how did that go?"

"She was furious."

"Can you blame her?"

"Not at all," Garp slumped, spinning his cup between his hands, "She wants to meet you and Ace and the baby. When they're born."

"I don't have a problem with that, but she might find it suspicious that Ace doesn't call me mom."

Garp flattened his mouth, "I think she knew I was lying about that. If it happens, I don't think she'll ask any questions."

Crocodile shrugged, "Whatever. It's your ass on the line if she has a problem with it, not me. How much time will she want to spend here?"

"If she can swing it, at least three months." Garp seemed to relax, "She was due to do a round of base inspections in the East Blue soon anyway, so it's more than likely."

Crocodile flapped her hand, "Sure, that's fine. But I have a request to make since I'm being so accommodating."

Garp rolled his eyes, chuckling, "Sure, I owe you that much, at least."

Knowing the bomb she was about to drop on Garp's head, Crocodile smirked, "I want my dad here when I go into labour."

She might have waited for Garp to be mid-sip when she asked, but that was neither here nor there. He started coughing, and Crocodile stared at him, taking a drink.

He took a ragged breath and slumped in his chair, shocked, almost forgetting to keep his voice down, "You want Whitebeard to attend the birth?"

"Obviously, I want my dad there, and I already promised him he could be there. Plus, I want him to meet Ace." She crossed her legs, "I figured you could get him to the East Blue without the Navy finding out and throwing a fit."

"This is gonna be a pain in the ass, and I want you to know that."

"Ask the Fleet Admiral for help."

Garp heaved a heavy sigh, "Sengoku's gonna kill me."

"I'd be more surprised if she didn't."

After Garp left, Crocodile got the chance to call Whitebeard. Explaining the plan to him briefly.

"Garp? Monkey D. Garp? Navy Vice-Admiral? Once tried to kill me?" Oyaji sounded exasperated, and the Den-Den Mushi gave her a deadpan look. Crocodile leaned on the kitchen counter, looking out through the big bay window at the front of the house. She watched Ace run back and forth, his bananawani plush tucked underneath his arm.

"You can keep confirming it if you'd like, Oyaji; it won't change the truth," Crocodile told him, rubbing her face.

"Why Garp? He's not the one who knocked you up, is he?" Pops growled.

Crocodile snorted, dodging the question, "What, you don't want to be with your daughter when she gives birth? Is that what you're saying, Pops?"

"No! That's not what I'm saying. I just want to know why Garp is involved in this."

She sighed, considering lying, but then figured it'd come back to bite her in the ass sooner or later. Finally, she says, with as much nonchalance as she can muster, "Because this is his grandchild, too."

The silence stretched, and Crocodile's heart started to beat an anxious rhythm against her ribs.

"It's that interfering little asshole Dragon, isn't it?!" Crocodile leaned away from the Den-Den Mushi, startled by the unexpected shout. Whitebeard didn't need her confirmation, the answer obvious, his voice falling into a low rumble, "I'm going to kill him and string his corpse up on the main mast of the Moby Dick." The beginning of his rant was positively restrained in comparison to the rest of his rant. Crocodile didn't interrupt, figuring it was an excellent idea to let him get most of the rage out of his system now rather than let him stew.

After the ten-minute mark, Whitebeard started to lose steam, the curses and growls still coming, but most of the venom was gone from the words.

Crocodile took the receiver back into her hand, "So, you coming or what?"

Whitebeard sighed, "Yeah, I'll be there. Give me Garp's comm code. Easier to arrange this directly with him."

She rattled off the number, and she and Whitebeard said goodbye with only a few more curses.

–

Ace liked living near Foosha Village a lot more than up in the mountains with Dadan. He liked being able to see the glittering blue waves of the ocean from his bedroom window. And he really liked that Crocodile trusted him to go into town by himself. Mostly she asked Ace to stay within shouting range, be careful if he goes exploring and tell her if anybody gives him trouble.

And she didn't ever panic if he got into trouble. She would lecture him, sure, but always with a small, crooked smile curling her mouth.

Ace wasn't sure why Crocodile thought people would give him trouble.

The people in the village always smiled at Ace when he and Crocodile went to buy stuff in town, and the old lady who owns the food shop always slipped him a few sweets whenever they bought food from her store.

Out of everyone, Woopslap, the town's grumpy mayor, was the only one who didn't seem to like him, but then, Woopslap didn't seem to like anyone.

But he especially didn't seem to like Crocodile.

Oh, he never said anything to her. But he would glower and grouch a bunch whenever Crocodile was nearby. Ace thought it was because Crocodile was a lot taller than the old man, and he was scared of her. Mumbling about Ace's Gramps and how it was his fault a good-for-nothing pirate was living in Foosha. Which was weird because Crocodile and Ace didn't live in Foosha; they lived near Foosha.

But Woopslap was easy to ignore. Crocodile sure did. Her pretty cat eyes skipped over the old man like he wasn't there.

Compared to the mayor, Ace really liked Makino, the young owner of Party's Bar. She was gentle and kind. And she was always happy to give Ace a cup of juice if he asked.

He liked exploring Foosha and helping Crocodile carry stuff when they went shopping. And he loved when the Sandstorm pirates would stop in for a visit—bringing toys and news and stuff for the baby. And Ace would get to play with Gem for hours.

At first, they would go into town a few times a week. But Crocodile's belly started getting bigger, and she started to get tired easily. And that was probably the most interesting part about living with Crocodile, watching her belly get bigger. Crocodile was going to have a baby. He would sit with Crocodile in the evenings and press his hands on her stomach. Fascinated by it. The skin of Crocodile's belly was…it wasn't hard, but it was stretched taut, like the top of a drum. With wiggly red lines where the skin was stretched the most that she would click her tongue disapprovingly over. And her belly was weird and warm, warmer than the rest of her skin.

Sometimes, if Ace waited long enough, the baby would move.

Almost like a fish brushing against Ace's hands if he was really lucky. A little weird the first couple of times it happened, but neat as the baby got bigger and their wiggling became even more pronounced. A foot or a hand pressing against Crocodile's belly, nudging Ace's hand and making him giggle.

Crocodile mentioned, half hesitating and thoughtful, "Y'know what, Ace? I hope you'll be able to think of my kid like your little brother or sister." One that Ace could protect and help take care of.

Ace looked at Crocodile with a big grin, "I wanna be their big brother!" Crocodile took care of him. She made sure he was safe. She made sure he was fed. That he was clean. That his clothes weren't torn and dirty. She was his Mama in all but name…and Ace wanted to call her Mama, but he wasn't really sure how Crocodile would react to that.

Maybe he'd ask Makino the next time he saw her. Or Gramps!

–

Admiral Akainu didn't know why he was being summoned to the Fleet Admiral's office, but he was certain it was to receive another assignment. He arrived just in time, hands in his pockets, nodding at Okane. The small woman greeted him and waved him inside. Warning him quickly, "Vice-Admiral Garp is in there, too."

Because, of course, he is, Sakazuki thought, walking into the room. I can deal with it as long as they aren't making out again. Two steps inside, Sakazuki froze. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Leaning on Sengoku's desk, Garp had her chin in one hand, tilting her head back. Neither of them noticed that Sakazuki was standing right there. It wouldn't have been nearly so bad if it had just been a chaste brush of their lips.

But the kiss was not chaste, not with the sounds they were making. Wet was a good descriptor.

Raunchy might have been better.

Sakazuki took a peek and watched Sengoku reach up and grab the lapel of Garp's jacket. Oh god, please don't. Sakazuki cleared his throat.

Garp pulled away from his wife with an annoyed look and glared at Sakazuki, "What?"

Sengoku grew flustered, avoiding Sakazuki's gaze. She tried to compose herself quickly. Patting her cheeks and discretely wiping her mouth. Sakazuki pretended not to notice and gave her a moment. He addressed Garp's question, keeping his voice nice and neutral. "The Fleet Admiral summoned me."

"What the hell for?" Garp groused, still annoyed at the interruption, turning his attention to Sengoku for confirmation.

She scowled at him, "Hush. Don't you have work to do?" Shooing him away from her desk.

Garp gave her an offended, wounded puppy stare, "What am I? A dog."

"Horny as one," Sakazuki snarked. He couldn't help himself.

The older man huffed, opening his mouth to argue. But Sengoku interrupted, clearing her throat pointedly. Garp glared at Sakazuki for a breath before he stomped out of the room.

"Sorry, Sakazuki," Sengoku sighed, beckoning him to move farther inside, "Thanks for making time to see me."

Sitting across from her, he shrugged, "Did I have much of a choice?"

"Nope." She propped her elbows onto her desk, resting her chin on her hands. She stared at him for a few seconds, her eyes narrowed behind her glasses, "I'll be going on leave for a few months, and I'm tagging you for command while I'm gone."

Sakazuki stared. Not because he was being tagged for command. He had done that several times since being promoted to Admiral. And he, like Borsalina and Kuzan, had done temporary stints here and there as a base commander.

But never for more than a few weeks, "A few months?"

"It was brought to my attention that I haven't taken any leave in a few years," Sengoku shrugged, "Things are calm at the moment, and Kong insisted now was as good a time as any. I'll be in the East Blue because Garp is convinced I won't actually relax if we stay on the Grand Line."

With the number of resort islands in Paradise, Sakazuki wasn't convinced, "And the real reason?"

Sengoku squinted at him. She debated whether to tell him but didn't see the harm. Sakazuki was more than capable of keeping his mouth shut. Not a gossip like so many of her officers. "I was recently informed of the existence of a grandchild, with another on the way."

His eyebrows lifted just a bit, "'Recently informed'?"

"Garp was keeping it a secret."

"That's an odd secret to keep from your wife?"

Her hands dropped to the top of her desk with a slap. Immediately incensed. "I know! Apparently, the boy's mother was adamant I not be told. So, I'll cut Garp some slack." She trailed off, shifting in agitation. Forcing herself to relax, "The trip is to meet my grandson and yet-to-be-born grandchild. You'll be able to contact me in the event of an emergency, and I'll likely be doing some base inspections while I'm there."

Sakazuki nodded but was willing to admit some confusion. "I'm surprised you're giving the command to Kuzan," He doesn't say it bitterly. He's genuinely surprised. Kuzan was a lot more approachable, and not only because Sakazuki had severe resting bitch face. People liked Kuzan.

"Oh, I considered it," Sengoku relaxed back into her chair. "But then I decided I didn't want to come back to a nightmare of disorganization and willy-nilly assignments. Kuzan's capable but flippant, and I trust you to keep things running smoothly in my absence."

Her confidence in his abilities was…unexpected. He and Sengoku had never really gotten along. Different beliefs. Different practices. They were more likely to butt heads than get along. Sengoku was a good superior, though. Tough, but fair.

She had her favourites, but who didn't? Sakazuki had grown out of being bitter about how she favoured Kuzan. After all, Zephyr had favoured Sakazuki in much the same way.

Sakazuki had no doubt he would have his own favourites if and when he had mentees to guide.

Instead of voicing his thoughts, Sakazuki agreed, "I won't let you down. Enjoy your time off."

Sengoku looked a touch flabbergasted at his easy compliance, but she stomped down on it, "Thank you, Sakazuki."

She left the Navy in Sakazuki's hands a month and a half before the date Garp told her was Crocodile's due date. Boarding her husband's personalized warship officially off duty, with the distinct feeling that Garp was about to do something that would annoy her.

Imagine her lack of surprise when they take a short detour around an island and pull up alongside the Moby Dick, Whitebeard and two of his division commanders boarding. Whitebeard didn't look surprised to see her, polite as he ever was while greeting her. Marco the Phoenix and Thatch were a lot warier.

Sengoku honestly wasn't surprised, what with Whitebeard's daughter being the one pregnant and all. But some forewarning would have been nice. The trip was pleasant, all three expectant grandparents playing nice, even if one of them was very pointedly not allowed to join his wife in her bunk.

They arrived at dawn island a month before Crocodile's due date.

–

Thirty-six weeks before she was due to pop, Garp returned carrying four passengers; Sengoku, Whitebeard, Marco and Thatch. Crocodile was thrilled to see her dad and siblings right up until Marco opened his mouth.

"Geez, Crow, you're enormous," When Crocodile punched Marco in the throat, Thatch didn't stop to check on him when she went to hug Crocodile—just nudged her husband out of the way with her foot. Marco writhed around on the ground, coughing around his crushed larynx, his blue phoenix fire flaring to life to heal the injury.

"Things not to say to a pregnant woman, birdie," Thatch told him unsympathetically.

Sengoku snorted, "Really, Phoenix? You haven't seen your sister in months, and that's the first thing out of your mouth? Even Garp's not that dense." The Fleet Admiral was well and truly off duty now, so far from Marineford. And had gotten used to the three pirates during the two-week journey.

Whitebeard crouched down and pressed a kiss on top of Crocodile's head, "Don't listen to him. He's an idiot who has no idea how to speak to women. Frankly, I'm still astounded Thatch agreed to marry him." He told her, half serious.

"So is Thatch," Thatch said, finally taking pity on Marco. "I think you look beautiful, Croc."

Crocodile fidgeted, "Thanks," She snorted though, "I feel ready to fucking burst."

"So did your mother." Whitebeard laughed, smoothing his hand over her hair as he straightened up. Garp tugged Sengoku forward, his wife protesting. She didn't want to interrupt.

Crocodile bit the inside of her cheek, meeting Sengoku's eyes. Eyes that looked just like Dragon's. A pretty dark brown. The two women assessed each other. Sengoku was a few inches shorter than Garp. Strong and curvy, with a few scars on her arms and legs made visible by the soft sundress she wore. Her hair was black, thick and curly, and she had it styled into dozens of protective thin, knotless braids coiled into a heavy bun to get them off of her neck. Not exactly what she expected when she had first imagined Dragon's mother. And not what she expected the Fleet Admiral of the Navy to look like.

Too pretty and with a touch of fairytale princess energy somehow.

It might have been the small creatures, a couple of bunnies and squirrels, now sniffing at her feet. Or the bird that fluttered down to sit on her shoulder.

"How?" Crocodile asked, gesturing disbelievingly at her feet.

Garp looked down and laughed, "Animals like her."

Sengoku shrugged, a smile quirking her lips, "A side effect of my devil fruit. You're not what I expected."

Crocodile blinked, "I'm not what you expected?"

"Just based on my experience with the type of women Dragon used to bring home for us to meet," Sengoku tilted her head, "You seem a lot less likely to put up with much bullshit. Which, I would wager, is why you and my son are no longer together."

"I put up with it for a lot longer than I should have," Crocodile snorted.

"Listen, I've been married to Garp for thirty-six years. We all do stupid things for love."

"I don't know if I can trust your judgement if you've been married to Garp for that long."

Garp scowled, "What the hell did I do?"

Sengoku patted his cheek, amused, "You're dense, obnoxious and stubborn. You thrive on chaos, and you tend to piss me off. But you're a good husband in most cases, and I know you always have my back." She glanced back at Crocodile, "Dragon got all of his father's best traits and a strong streak of my commitment."

"He's committed, alright. Committed to the revolution and his ideals." Sengoku hummed at Crocodile's bitter words but didn't defend Dragon.

Why would she, when they're the truest words she'd heard in reference to her son in years?

Crocodile huffed her annoyance, "And this is where I say that I don't want to talk about Dragon anymore."

"Understandable," Sengoku wasn't bothered. Her son was obviously still a sore subject for Crocodile.

She flapped her hand, "Besides, there's someone I want you and my dad to meet." With one hand supporting the heavy curvy of her pregnant belly, she turned and led them around to the other side of the house.

Ace looked up from where he was playing and grinned when he saw Crocodile coming towards him, bouncing up when his Gramps turned the corner behind her. But he hesitated when four more people he didn't know followed after Gramps. He was unable to look away from the biggest man with his white, crescent-moon-shaped mustache.

Sengoku grips the back of Garp's floral print shirt, nervous and feeling uncharacteristically vulnerable. She did not enjoy it. Garp reaches back and grasps her hand. They watched Crocodile introduce Ace and Whitebeard.

Whitebeard knelt so he didn't appear quite so menacing to the small boy. "Hello there, Ace. It very nice to finally meet the boy that my daughter speaks so fondly of."

Ace looked pleased to hear that and beamed up at Whitebeard. He kept one arm wrapped around Croc's thigh, shaking Whitebeard's offered finger bashfully, "Hi," He stared at Whitebeard curiously, "Are you a pirate, too?"

Garp grouched at that and interrupted, "Ace! Come say hi to your Gramps!" He wanted his hug, dammit. Ace giggled but did run to Garp, delighted at being scooped up and hugged tight. Ace didn't know of many places safer than Garp's arms.

Something in Sengoku softened at seeing Garp holding a child. It had been years. Not many kids on Marineford, and Rosi was nineteen now and as tall as her father. It was sweet.

Crocodile had no idea how to introduce Ace, the child who was hers, but not technically, to Sengoku, the woman who was his grandmother, but not technically. Who also may not have been aware of the technicality. Or she was more aware than Garp thought.

Clusterfuck in the making.

Or not? The thought was accompanied by pure astonishment.

"So you've met Crocodile's dad. Want to meet my wife now? I've told you about her, remember?"

"Uh-huh! My Gram!"

"That's right!"

Crocodile muttered to Whitebeard, watching the hesitant grandma interacting with her exuberant grandson, "Garp is shockingly good at this."

Whitebeard snorted, "He's always been shockingly good at human interaction in general."

With Ace and his doting grandparents preoccupied, Whitebeard took the opportunity to ask Crocodile quietly, so that not even Thatch and Marco would overhear, "Ace is Roger's child, isn't he?"

Startled, she looked up at him and nodded.

"How could you tell?" She asked, curious.

"You know how many years Roger and I knew each other? Ace might look more like his mother, whoever that was, but he's got a lot of Roger's spirit." Whitebeard explained. He wasn't looking at Ace, though. Instead, he was studying Crocodile's profile.

She caught him and cocked an eyebrow, "What?"

"Just thinking you look a hell of a lot like your mother did when she was pregnant with you."

There was a pang in Crocodile's chest, and she looked down. Smoothing one hand over her baby bump. She was happy to hear the comparison… but it was painful at the same time, "I miss her."

"Me too, Crow. Me too."

–

Monkey D. Luffy was born two weeks late, at a healthy nine and a half pounds, after a gruelling nineteen hours of labour. Delivered, squalling, right into the warm hands of her pineapple-haired uncle. Thatch wiped Crocodile's sweaty forehead with a cool cloth.

Sengoku thanked god she only ever did it the natural way once, "Thanks for letting me be here with you, Crocodile, but I remembered why Dragon was the only kid Garp and I had."

"I remembered why we," Thatch gestured between her and Marco, "Never had any."

Marco laughed, and Crocodile whined, "Where is she?"

"Just cleaning her up, mama, don't worry." After he was done, Marco placed Luffy onto her mother's chest.

Crocodile grabbed her, crying, "She's so tiny."

"Gotta think where those genes came from," Marco muses, back between his sister's legs, prepared with needle and thread to make some small stitches, free hand ignited in blue flame, to speed along the healing of her tears.

Sengoku smiled, "Don't need to go too far up the family tree. Garp's mother. Only met her once before she passed away, but she was barely five feet of feisty sarcasm."

Too busy gazing at her newborn daughter's red, squishy potato face, Crocodile heard none of the conversation around her. Watching her daughter. Eyes tracing her features as Luffy settled down, nuzzling into the warm softness of Crocodile's chest. Although it had been decades since she'd given birth, Sengoku quietly offered Crocodile some guidance.

With Marco busy healing, Thatch stood up, "I'll go get Oyaji, Garp and Ace."

Crocodile nodded absently, Sengoku helping her shift the neck of her oversized shirt so Luffy would be able to latch if she was hungry.

"She's beautiful," Sengoku whispered, entranced, eyes not leaving her granddaughter.

"Yeah, she is, isn't she?" Crocodile slurred, exhausted. She wanted to sleep, but she also wanted to stay awake long enough to introduce Ace to his little sister.

"Have you decided on a name?"

"Yeah, I think so," She shrugged as much as she could, Luffy making a soft noise when she moved. "Monkey D. Luffy."

"Monkey D?" Sengoku's eyebrows jumped up.

"Garp made a good point to me a few months ago, and my dad agreed with him. Shockingly."

Sengoku blinked, "Ah, let me guess. Safer for her to share a name with a Marine Vice Admiral than with a Pirate Emperor."

"Basically."

Thatch returned, Garp on her heels with Ace in his arms. After some maneuvering through the double doors from outside into Crocodile's bedroom, Whitebeard managed to barely fit himself inside.

Crocodile looked up and smiled at Ace, "You wanna meet your baby sister?" Ace nodded and asked a little impatiently for Garp to put him down. Placed on the edge of Crocodile's bed, Ace scurries to Crocodile's side.

Ace cuddled up next to Crocodile, staring in wonder at his sister. "She looks all squished, mama."

Crocodile froze for half a second, and her heart filled to bursting at his nonchalant use of the word.

He called me Mama. If she hadn't been so tired, she would've cried, but she didn't have the energy to do it again and reeled herself back, "Yeah, new babies look pretty squished for the first few weeks."

Whitebeard watched his daughter and her little family, wiping tears from his face. Next to him, Garp was looking everywhere but at his unimpressed-looking wife. Sengoku had questions.

–

Luffy was a noisy, tactile baby. She loved being held by people or being close enough to them that she could touch them. And when she didn't get her way or was even remotely hungry, she would yell.

She did not cry.

She did not whine.

She would yell. Not angry or upset, just this persistent 'pay attention to me/feed me now' noise. Crocodile loved it because only she and Ace were able to tell when Luffy was about to start yelling. They could sate the beast before she could get going. Nobody else had been able to figure out her tells. And watching them panic about the yelling was always funny.

Luffy grew quickly. Learning to crawl a week before she learned to walk. And she was running not long after that. Running around behind Ace, chubby little legs and boundless energy working hard to keep up with her big brother's longer stride. When Luffy was a year old, Crocodile was able to start going back to sea for short journeys and often bringing both Luffy and Ace along with her. For the times she couldn't bring them with her when a trip was going to be a little more dangerous, she would leave them in the care of either Makino or Dadan. Both women were always happy to watch them.

When Ace and Luffy were seven and four, respectively, their Mama came home from a trip one autumn morning to find a third child in her house.

"Mama, this is Sabo." Ace introduced, tugging Sabo forward by his hand as Luffy climbed up Crocodile's body, giving her mother a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "We met him up near Dadan's place. At the Grey Terminal."

Sabo shifted nervously, pulling his top hat off to fiddle with it in his hands.

"What were you doing at the Grey Terminal?" Crocodile was confused, but she smiled at Sabo gently. She wrapped an arm around Luffy and leaned forward to offer Sabo her hand. "Hello, Sabo. It's very nice to meet you."

He looked briefly alarmed before a mask slid into place, hiding his nervousness behind a polite smile and shook her hand, "Hello, ma'am."

Ace stared at his friend, confused by his weird behaviour, "Ma'am? You can call her Croc. She doesn't mind." He whispered, teasing his friend lightly.

Sabo blushed, pulling his hat back onto his head with a petulant pout.

"I-I was being polite." Sabo hissed at Ace, embarrassed.

Luffy butts into their furtive conversation from her place in the crook of Crocodile's arm, "No, you're being weird. You did the same thing when you met Makino."

"Yeah," Ace agreed with his sister. "It's like you're afraid you'll get in trouble just for talking."

Crocodile had a distinct feeling that was precisely what Sabo believed. She examined him; short, curly blond hair underneath his top hat, goggles sitting on the brim, handsome silver eyes set in a perfectly proportioned face like he'd been designed or painted by an artist, and his clothes, while dirty and torn in places, seemed of high-quality material and make.

Crocodile knew the type of people who were forced to live in the Grey Terminal, and Sabo didn't strike her with the same broken desperation.

"Don't feel like you need to put on airs with us, kid," Crocodile said the words kindly and noted the way Sabo relaxed, the tension leaving his body.

Sabo became a pretty regular staple in the house, eventually sharing a bedroom with Ace after Crocodile found out the boy was sleeping in the Grey Terminal.

When he became more comfortable with her, Crocodile asked him why.

Sabo was sitting next to her on the living room sofa, and the two of them were enjoying the sleepy morning sun coming in through the window. Ace and Luffy were outside, yelling and arguing about something. Sabo frowned when she asked, looking down at his fingers and picking at the material of the pillow in his lap. "I was born in Goa Town to noble parents. I never felt, I dunno…like I fit in or could be what they wanted me to be. Always felt like I was a disappointment, and being there, especially in their house, was like I couldn't breathe."

Crocodile carded her fingers through his hair, soothing him. "I think I can understand that. So, you left."

"Uh-huh, about a year ago. I figured they'd never bother to look for me in the Grey Terminal. And they never did." He sniffled, blinking rapidly.

Crocodile pulled him closer, giving him a tight hug, "Never feel like you can't cry, Sabo. No shame in it," She whispered into his hair. She felt his tears fall, landing on her skin where his face was pressed against her chest. "You're my kid now. You have been since the day Ace brought you home."

He nodded, his arms tight around her waist, "Thanks, Croc."