I started watching Gintama recently and wanted to try making a Gintama-like chapter title lol. I might even make the rest of the chapter titles like this since they've mostly been random and whatever I could come up with at the time. Anyway, Gintama is a really good comedy anime that I think needs more attention—I highly recommend it!!

Ever since his little accident months ago, Makino's been breathing down his neck and watching him like a hawk. Luffy could understand why—he'd really messed up then—but it didn't make him feel any less uncomfortable. He knew Makino was just worried, though, so he didn't mind too much.

He was lucky that she still let him go out every day after lunch. Any other person would keep him inside and in their line of sight at all times. Luffy was surprised that Makino hadn't done just that, but he was grateful nonetheless. Just a single week of being kept from training had him restless—he didn't know what weeks on end would do to him.

All the knives in the pub were put out of his reach—which was fair, he supposed.

He did think that her keeping him from serving anything in the pub that needed a knife was a bit much, though.

While Luffy was glad that Makino cared for him, he didn't know what to think of the extreme caution she had with him and sharp things. He didn't think she was doing it purposefully, but her overprotectiveness was a little annoying. He didn't need to be babied—he was strong! And what happened was just an accident after all—it wouldn't happen again.

He was glad that her coddling had toned down some, at least. The first week after the incident had Makino only making stews and buying bread for their meals day after day—refusing to let him near any sharp utensils. She slowly started letting him eat other foods though, then let him use chopsticks and forks for rice or pasta. Knives were still out of the question, but it never mattered to Luffy since he just dug in with his hands and teeth.

She was reluctant in letting him in the kitchen, despite hiding the knives, but ultimately didn't stop him. Luffy never went into the kitchen for utensils—only ever for food—but he stayed away from the drawers and cabinets for Makino's sake. He knew he made her worry a lot so he wanted to ease at least some of it.

Coming home to see a kid bleeding after accidentally stabbing himself was an alarming sight, though, so it wasn't like he could blame her.

Luffy walked through the forest, snow crunching under his feet as he went. Luffy was light so he only sunk in a little bit, but if he were any heavier the snow would reach just below his knees. Winter had fully taken over and it had been snowing a lot recently. The skies were cloudy and gray but no snow was falling yet. The landscape was quiet and white, the only sound being the soft crushing of snow.

He dragged the dead deer behind him, it's body making a deep track in the snow. He'd just finished training and was heading to the Gray Terminal as usual to search for junk to sell. Since he started going to the Gray Terminal after his training he'd made friends with a majority of the homeless people who lived there. While they were shady, not all of them were bad people. Some were dangerous and did illegal things in the trash land, but Luffy had always been a good judge of character. The people he befriended were good people and most were just struggling to get by and did anything to get money. While Luffy couldn't give them money, he did bring them animals for food and skins from time to time. With the winter season and it's biting cold in full swing, he brought them almost every day.

Luffy sped up a bit when he saw the mounds of trash in the distance, a smile on his lips as he broke through the trees. His breath condensed into puffs of white as he looked around the familiar sight of trash covered in snow and ice. He made his way towards the clump of makeshift shacks and houses in the middle of the trash dump where the people of the Gray Terminal lived and wasn't very surprised to see no one out. Smoke was coming from almost all the houses, though, so he could assume everyone was there.

Winters were dangerous for the inhabitants of the Gray Terminal. They didn't have proper clothes for the weather and their homes had too many holes and were too thin to keep out the freezing cold. They made fires in their homes but rarely left during the season and therefore couldn't search for items to sell to make money very often. Because they didn't have money they couldn't buy food and other necessities, most ended up dying due to the cold or starvation. They also couldn't hunt since they all lived in the city at some point and didn't know how to.

Luckily, Luffy was there to do that for them.

He skipped to the center of the open space and shouted into the silence.

"Hey everyone! I'm here! And I got meat!"

The silence rang for a moment before rustling could be heard in most of the houses and people stepped out one by one, their frail bodies shaking in the cold. They were shivering violently as they gathered around the boy but gave small smiles. A few kids (who were older than him so he couldn't really call them kids) broke through the crowd and ran up to him.

"Oi, Luffy-kun!" Henry shouted, glomping the smaller boy. Luffy laughed as he lost balance and fell in the snow.

"You're back, you bastard," Kan grunted, his words sharp but the grin on his face obviously meaning otherwise. It reminded Luffy a lot about Zoro, actually.

"Shishishi, I come every day! Of course I'm back, silly Kan!" He giggled, hugging Henry before the blonde jumped up and hopped in place excitedly.

"You'll never guess what I found yesterday! Look!" Luffy couldn't even get a word out before a shiny silver pocket watch was shoved in his face.

"Oooh!" Luffy awed, reaching out to touch it. Henry pulled it from his reach but he didn't mind and continued admiring it. "It's pretty! You gonna sell it?"

"Nah, it's too pretty to be sold!" The older boy said, flipping open the latch to show the inside. Luffy watched as the hands on the small clock ticked and moved. "It works, too! I'm keeping it! It's my treasure now!"

"You only found it because you fell in that trash pile," Isa said as she helped Luffy up. "You got stuck and we had to pull you out—you're not light, y'know!"

Kan and Isa kicked his legs and Henry fell with an indignant squawk.

Luffy laughed at them, watching as they started poking and tickling the blonde.

Kan, Henry, and Isa were best friends who Luffy also befriended in the Gray Terminal. Henry was an orphan who got kicked out of his orphanage and found himself in the dump outside Goa when he was seven. Kan and Isa were blood siblings who were born and raised in the Gray Terminal and eventually found Henry and helped him out. They ended up sticking together and met Luffy when he was scavenging around. Kan was fourteen, Henry thirteen, and Isa eleven. They were cool and fun to be around so Luffy liked them.

"T-That's nice and all, b-but could we get a fire going?" Someone from the crowd said.

"Y-Yeah, it's f-f-freezing!"

"I'm hungry!

"L-Let's cook that deer already!"

Luffy snapped out of his thoughts with a laugh and helped make a bonfire in the center space. Once the fire was going he helped the adults skin the deer and put it over the flames. It was a large deer that could feed a lot of them and if it wasn't enough Luffy could always run back into the forest for more. The venison was roasted over the fire and when it was done Luffy had to stop himself from eating some, too. He just had lunch and they were all hungrier than him, after all. The meat he brought everyday was often the only meal they had for the day.

In the end, Luffy did have to run back in the forest and hunt a few more deer for everyone. When they were all full Luffy left to search around the mounds of trash for anything interesting to sell, Kan, Henry, and Isa joining him.

"Remember; finders, keepers!" Kan said before they all dove into a new pile of trash from Goa.

They dug around for a while before Isa shivered and cried, "It's too cold! I can't do this anymore!"

Across from her, Henry started shaking, too. "Ugh, now I'm cold because you mentioned it! I need a fire!"

Kan rubbed his arms. "We should get back then. Our clothes weren't made for the cold."

Luffy looked up from the trinkets he found, brows furrowed. Their clothes were simple long-sleeves and torn pants. They all had thin scarves wrapped around their necks but Luffy doubted that it actually kept them warm. He gathered his things and stepped away from the pile.

"You guys can go home, then! I'm gonna sell these real quick and go back before Makino gets worried."

The three of them turned to look at him.

"You sure?" Kan said, also getting up with the things he found.

"You're only five! A kid like you is begging to be mugged, you know," Henry said, groaning when Isa slapped the back of his head. "Oi! I was joking! Joking!"

Luffy pouted at the older boy. "I can take care of myself! I'm strong!"

"We know. You're the one who hunts and gives us food, after all," Kan said, patting his shoulder. "We'll head back, then. Don't get mugged."

"I won't!" Luffy huffed.

Isa giggled and gave Luffy a parting hug while Henry fist bumped him. The three left and Luffy walked off in the other direction towards the tall walls of Goa.

Getting past the guards was always tricky but they seemed to be too cold to be on high alert. He slipped past them, concealing his presence to keep them from noticing him (something he eventually had to learn on the seas. Luffy wasn't very sneaky, but he could be if he really had to). They were so distracted by the cold that Luffy was even able to pickpocket them, a skill he'd learned from Nami. He wasn't too good at pickpocketing since he was still so obvious but they were distracted enough for him to pluck their wallets from their persons and get away unnoticed.

Once past the walls Luffy was faced with the gray buildings of Edge Town. With the bright snow and cloudy sky, the city looked even more monotone and bleak than usual. Barely anyone was out because of the weather but Luffy could see a few people in the alleys and shadows between the old buildings. Being in the shadows on a cold day only made you colder—why would they stand there?

He sold the trinkets easily enough—the things he found were pretty even if used and scratched. Plus, puppy eyes were very helpful in convincing people. He didn't need to use it often, but when he did even the ones who didn't want to buy from him eventually caved. Luffy knew puppy eyes were effective with experience—Ace could never say no and the same was for Sabo. Being a five year old kid only made them more effective.

He even managed to push for a high price. Nami would be proud of him.

Once he sold everything, Luffy started to head back. The sky was getting darker and he was already late. Makino would probably be worried.

It was starting to snow as Luffy walked down the streets of Edge Town and back to the gate. He hummed a bit, calm despite the eyes he could feel on him. It made him uncomfortable but he was used to it, being a (former?) pirate after all. Edge Town was full of dangerous people, so a kid walking around freely was bound to draw some looks in his direction.

Still, as he said before, he was strong. He could take care of himself.

Luffy stuck out his tongue to catch a snowflake when he heard loud rambunctious laughter from the building beside him. His brows rose when he felt two familiar presences inside.

Curious, he stepped into the bar.

———

Sabo leaned against the wall, his eyes roaming over the pub from his place in the back. The air reeked of alcohol and the people were loud and obnoxious. Sabo hated coming to places like these—it was dangerous and he constantly felt on edge, more so than usual anyway. Ace had insisted though, so he had no choice but to comply.

Speaking of, his eyes found his long time friend at the front by the barstools. The men there were the rowdiest of them all, constantly shouting for refills and complaining to each other using words that normal kids their age shouldn't be privy to.

He rolled his eyes as he heard a particularly vulgar statement coming from a table nearby and watched as Ace tugged at one of the men on the bar stools.

Sabo still didn't understand why he was so insistent in asking that same question all the time. He knew the results would be the same and would only make him feel worse. Sabo had tried talking his friend out of it multiple times but he never listened. No one had a good opinion of the Pirate King and Ace knew that well so there was no use asking. The only answers he ever received were the ones that made him snap and crawl further into himself. Sabo hated watching it.

Being a former noble, Sabo knew the words those men spoke were as valuable as shit. Nobles spoke lie after lie to make themselves look good and further their reputations and places in society. Nothing they said could be taken at face value. Sabo knew the people in this bar had never once met Gold Roger and had only ever heard rumors of him, maybe even spinning some of their own. It was to be expected—Gold Roger was a dangerous pirate before he died, the sole man who led his crew through the Grand Line and conquered the seas no one else could. He was despised by everyone and his existence was practically spat on.

Sabo personally had no opinion of the man. He didn't care for the rumors and didn't believe most of them, either. Living near the Gray Terminal had taught him to pick lies from truths and he could tell when most were preposterous. Gold Roger might not have been as bad of a man as the rumors said, but maybe he was, too. Since Sabo had never met the man (nor met someone who had met him), he couldn't form a solid opinion towards him.

For Ace's sake, though, he hoped he was a good man. A man that wasn't as ruthless as the pirate in the rumors. Ace needed a father who was the opposite of what those people had pounded into his head. He needed to know someone had loved him. Sabo loved his friend plenty, but apparently it just wasn't enough.

He could understand that, though. Love was all he'd ever wanted, too.

The man on the bar stool turned to Ace and the brunette wasted no time in asking his question.

"What if Gold Roger had a son?"

The man stared at him for a moment before he broke out laughing, the others who overheard guffawing as well. Even from here, Sabo could see how Ace's eyes hardened and how tense his shoulders became. He sighed, knowing how this would end, and his hand clenched around his pipe. He didn't usually get involved in Ace's temper tantrums but he would if he had to.

"If he had a son, eh? That bastard, as if he could! No woman would be so insane and hook up with him!"

"If there was one that bitch would be dead now, too!"

"That demon Pirate King only brings destruction wherever he goes! Same would be for his brat, if he ever had one!"

"Like father, like son! Maybe he'd even die like him!"

"Nah, an execution would be too merciful! Slice his stomach open!"

"Rip off his arms!"

"Cut off his head!"

The laughter that started up was suffocating and Sabo felt like throwing up. The things they said were sick and inhumane. No one should wish such a thing upon someone, a child —whether they were the hypothetical son of a criminal or otherwise. He could see Ace physically shaking in rage as his eyes were shadowed by his fringe. He took a step and Sabo waited for him to snap and lash out—

"Hey! Shut up! "

Sabo blinked and turned his head toward the entrance to the bar. The door was still open and snow was coming in, along with a cold wind that made him shiver a bit—though he couldn't tell if it was actually the wind that made him shiver or the look on the kid's face. His eyes were black pools of restrained rage and his scowl was as fierce as a wild animal's. The kid looked younger than them, too—what was he doing in a place like this? He didn't look like someone who lived in Edge Town so he must've been a normal brat who somehow wandered in here.

That was unlikely though, going by the air surrounding him. It was tense and unsettling, like he could snap at any moment, charging like a wolf and sinking his fangs into his prey. It wasn't like a normal kid at all.

The boy stepped forward, snow sweeping in behind him from the door he hadn't closed, his feet thumping against the wooden floorboards in the ominously quiet bar. He crossed the bar and stood beside Ace, dark eyes landing on the man who'd laughed first.

"Oh?" The man slurred, still high on his earlier laughter. "Whaddya want, ki—"

The boy sprung forward, swinging a fist in his face and effectively shutting him up. He fell off his chair and landed on the floor with a loud, dull thud. The other people who had been laughing stood but the harsh glare from the kid stopped them from moving.

"What the hell are you talking about?" The kid grit out, the fist he used to punch the man shaking. "What the hell?! That's not how you talk about someone!"

(After meeting Luffy, Ace stopped asking that question to random people in bars and back alleys. While he was still uneasy and hateful of his parentage, Luffy had come and brought a new meaning to his life. Because he stopped asking the question and never talked about it, Luffy never heard the responses to it. He knew they were bad—they had to be to make Ace feel the way he did about his existence—but hearing it in person was worse than he'd imagined.)

"Listen here, you bastards!" He shouted, and Sabo felt something wash over him that made his hairs stand on end. "A newborn child bears no sin! It doesn't matter who their parents are! That child is free! And you have no right to take that freedom from them!"

Sabo stiffened. Beside the kid, Ace stilled, too.

"Just because the Pirate King might've done some bad things doesn't mean you can take it out on his son just because he's dead!" The kid shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls and echoing in their ears. "You people are sick! Worse than Roger ever was!"

The man on the floor pushed himself up, shaking and glaring at the kid. "W-What the fuck is wrong with you, you fucking brat?!"

The kid leveled him with a cold stare. "I should be asking you that. Dumbasses like you are the reason pirates set sail. So we don't have to deal with your bullshit."

Before Sabo could mentally question the 'we' in that sentence, the boy turned and started for the door. The man jumped to his feet, a hand cradling the bruise that was starting to form on his cheek.

"Oi! Get him! Like I'm letting him go after punching me!"

Two men moved, one with a bulky physique and the other with a pocket knife. The kid didn't even bother to run faster or defend himself as the men lunged at him. He didn't need to, though, because two pipes came and did the work for him.

Sabo looked over his shoulder at Ace who had easily disarmed the knife-wielder by smacking him hard in the wrist.

"Oh?" He said, raising a brow teasingly. "Ace is helping a defenseless kid instead of beating the crap out of people twice his size?"

"Shut up!" Ace snapped at him, swinging his pipe at the disarmed man's side as Sabo swung at the bulky man's face. "If you haven't noticed, I am beating the crap out of someone twice my size!"

"You're also protecting a little kid," Sabo said, hitting his opponent hard in the balls just as Ace knocked down his. "Aww, Acey-wacy's growing up and thinking about others!"

"I said shut up!" Sabo dodged the pipe aimed at his head and laughed at the slight reddening of his friend's cheeks. "Don't call me that! And speak for yourself, dumbass Sabo!"

The blonde feigned an offended gasp. "I'm a gentleman, thank you very much! I know how to be a decent human being, unlike you and your freckles."

"What do my freckles have to do with this?!"

Suddenly they were both pushed out of the way as a blur shot past them and towards the man who'd fallen down earlier that they hadn't noticed started charging at them. The kid jumped behind the man and punched him hard in the back of the head, causing him to stumble and pass out. Dusting himself off, the kid looked over at them, grinning wide and laughing.

"Shishishi! You guys are funny! Should've paid attention, though."

Sabo grinned. "Yeah, but thanks for covering our backs. That was cool, though! You were so fast and knocked him out with one punch!"

The kid's grin stretched wider. "Thanks! And you guys helped me out, too!"

Ace huffed. "They were saying stupid shit so I wanted to hit them."

Sabo took a hand and partially covered his mouth on the side Ace was standing, though didn't bother to actually whisper. "Don't worry about him. He's just shy."

"I am not! Fuck you!"

The kid laughed again, louder and lighter. Somewhere in the back of his mind Sabo thought he quite liked the sound of it.

Nudging the brunette with his elbow, Sabo said, "We should probably go before anyone else decides to chase after us. That is, unless you want to beat some more people up?"

Ace looked around the bar at the people who were staring at them and rolled his eyes. "No. I'm good."

"We'll be fine," the kid said, knocking out the two other men on the floor who were trying to get up. He turned to their audience, smile wide and anything but friendly. It was more of a baring of teeth, really. "No one's gonna follow us, right?"

The onlookers within the bar collectively nodded as one. Sabo thought it was funny.

They left the bar easily enough, passing through the doors and into the snow. The sky was a dark gray now and snow was falling heavily. They'd need to get back soon before a blizzard blows through.

"Where do you live?" Sabo asked, tugging his collar up to protect his neck from the cold. "You don't look like you live in Edge Town."

The kid blinked up at him. "Ah, I live in Foosha Village!"

"Foosha Village?" Sabo asked, confused. "That small village on the other side of the mountain?"

The boy nodded and Ace turned to him. "You came over the mountain by yourself?"

"Mm! Everyday! I train and have friends in the Gray Terminal and make money so I'm here almost every day!"

Sabo watched as Ace stared at the kid through narrowed eyes before they suddenly blew wide open.

"Oi, wait, are you that kid that fought that bear like, three months ago?"

The kid looked at him and grinned. Ace groaned, dragging a hand down his face.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Sabo asked.

"Remember when I told you about that kid I saw a few months back? How he was fighting a bear and fucking around with it?" At Sabo's nod, Ace continued, pointing at the kid. "This is him. I didn't recognize him since he's not wearing red today. Plus, it totally slipped my mind."

"Eh?" Sabo said, eyes wide. He looked at the kid. "You're the one that fought the bear for training and then tamed it?"

"En! Scar-Face is my friend now and he helps me train sometimes!"

"Scar-Face..." Ace's said under his breath, just loud enough for Sabo to hear. "That's some shit naming sense."

"Oi! Scar-Face is a great name! 'Coz he's got a scar on his face!" The boy shouted, because apparently Ace wasn't quiet enough.

Sabo chuckled as his friend flustered a bit at being heard, saying that it was absolutely stupid. "I think it's a nice name. Sounds badass," he said, giving the younger a thumbs-up.

The boy beamed, bright as a tiny sun, and Sabo grinned back.

The three of them sneaked through the gates and into the Gray Terminal without a problem since the guards were gone for the night. They walked through the mounds of trash while talking (though it was mostly Sabo to the kid since Ace was being his usual grumpy butt) until they reached the outer edge of the Gray Terminal. The snow was coming down in thick sheets and the wind was getting rougher, so it was safe to assume a blizzard would hit pretty soon.

"Oi, Ace, mind if I crash with you for the night? I don't wanna sleep out in a blizzard," Sabo said, shivering slightly in his somewhat-thin clothes. They were the only set he had and weren't made for the cold.

Ace nodded. "Sure. You can hide in my room for the night. Don't go showing up in front of the bandits, though. I don't want that old hag yelling at me about 'bringing in a street brat.'" He tsked, muttering to himself. "Like they're any better. Crappy bandits like them are just 'street brats' living in mountains."

"Eh?" The kid said. "Where does Sabo live?"

How does he know my name? Ah, wait—he's heard us saying each other's names. "Well, I don't live anywhere, really, but I usually sleep in this hole under a tree. Sometimes there's a bad storm and I stay at Ace's." Sabo smirked as he looked at the younger boy. "He lives up in the mountains with bandits, ya know? It's where he gets his grumpy attitude."

"I do not have a grumpy attitude, asshole!" Ace shouted, glaring at the blonde.

Sabo only laughed. "Well you're not doing anything to prove me wrong! Look at you! You're throwing a tantrum now!"

"I-I'm not—I'm not throwing a fucking tantrum, bastard!" The brunette stuttered, embarrassed. "Shut the hell up!"

Sabo laughed harder, the kid laughing with him. They teased Ace a bit more, walking through the snow covered forest. They were all basically going the same direction, what with the bandit hut and village on the other side of the mountain. They eventually fell into a comfortable silence, the howling of wind in their ears and the crunching of ice under their feet.

The silence went on for a while longer as they crossed the mountain until Ace spoke.

"You... What you said at that bar..." He said, soft enough that Sabo could barely hear him over the wind. The kid perked up, listening. "Do you really believe that...?"

The boy smiled, softer than his wide grins but just as bright. "Every word."

Sabo's lips quirked upwards, choosing to stay silent. The words the kid spoke earlier hit hard—for the both of them. He, who grew trapped by the walls of nobility and social expectations, and Ace, who caged himself in the harsh words of strangers with no one to tell him otherwise. Every day had been suffocating until they met each other and supported one another, but even then they still had uncertainties. Sabo kept his bottled up, refusing to tell his friend of his former status, while Ace questioned his right to live.

They wanted to be pirates—for the fame, the fortune, the adventure, but mostly the freedom. Sabo didn't want to be confined by the chains of his social standing and Ace wanted to prove to the world that he had lived. They wanted to be free to do what they wanted, when they wanted, and without anyone interfering. They didn't want anyone to tell them what they could and couldn't do, whether they had the right to live or not. They wanted to be free to live their own lives as they pleased.

But because of the positions they were born into, sons of nobles and internationally wanted criminals, they weren't able to move as freely as they wanted to. Sabo eventually escaped his noble status by fleeing from High Town and becoming another homeless orphan in the Gray Terminal, but Ace was still trapped by his heritage. Ace only told him who his father was because he felt the need to tell someone who he knew would listen and wouldn't judge him, but that was only after three years of knowing each other. While Sabo would probably never reveal his own heritage (he didn't want to have anything to do with them, after all), he swore he would keep Ace's secret to his grave.

Still, Ace never stopped looking for answers to his single query and continued to question his existence. No matter how many times Sabo would try to convince him to stop or tell him what he knew to be the truth (that he was allowed to live, that he had every right to), his friend didn't stop. He had stewed in others' hatred of the mere thought of his existence for so long and began to question and even hate himself because of it. He kept looking into bars and dark alleys for that hatred and beat up the people who provided the answers to his questions. Sabo never understood it.

Now though, looking at this random kid who showed up out of nowhere and said words that struck deep within them, he thought he could finally understand.

Maybe Ace was looking for someone—someone who didn't know him and who he really was—to tell him what he needed to hear all along.

The kid looked ahead, eyes distant. "No one should be judged by actions that aren't their own, and no one should be killed because of who their parents are," he said, eyes flashing with the last sentence. He blinked and the look left as quickly as it came.

He looked back at them, smiling wide. "I'm gonna be a pirate!" Sabo and Ace's eyes widened in surprise. "I'll gather a crew and sail the Grand Line with them! We'll go on lots of adventures, make lots of friends, and be the freest people in the world!"

The look in his eyes changed again, into an emotion Sabo couldn't place, before returning to that determined stare. "I'm gonna be the Pirate King! The freest person in the world! And I'll protect everyone that I love!"

Then his onyx orbs darkened, a slight frown on his lips. "I'll stop anyone who gets in the way."

The emotion in his eyes stayed long enough for Sabo to decipher what it was—anger, hatred, promise. The blonde blinked and wondered what could've happened to make him feel such things.

"Pirate King, huh?" Sabo said, glancing over at Ace, the brunette's face blank. "You gonna be a big baddie like Gold Roger?"

"Huh?" The kid said, looking at him as the dark glint in his eyes left. "Roger wasn't a bad guy."

Ace looked at him with a raised, slightly incredulous brow. "What do you mean? Of course he was—he's the Pirate King . Haven't you heard about the shit he's done?"

The younger scoffed. "Those rumors? That's just what they are—rumors. Do you really think anyone here's actually met the man?"

Ace kept quiet.

"I mean, sure, Roger's done some pretty stupid stuff, but it's not like he did it on purpose," the kid rolled his eyes. "He's just an idiot."

"You sound like you know him," Sabo said, curious.

The boy shook his head. "Nah, but I knew someone who did. They were really close, too."

"Who?" Ace asked, dark eyes trained on the boy.

The kid hummed, hands clasped behind his head in an easygoing gesture as he looked forward. "His first mate."

Ace's eye twitched, and Sabo sighed softly. "There's no way a brat like you knows that bastard's first mate."

The kid looked at him from the corner of his eye and, with what seemed to be practiced ease, didn't react to the older's temper. "Believe what you want. I can't change that stubborn mind of yours just yet."

The silence afterward was more tense than before, Sabo feeling awkward as he stood between them. Just when Ace was seeming to warm up to a total stranger, Sabo came along and accidentally wrecked everything. He felt guilty, since his question and the kid's answer was what spurred Ace to lash out in his version of disbelief.

"Uh," Sabo said, attempting to fix the mood. "Why do you want to be the Pirate King? If you don't mind me asking."

It worked, if the smile on the kid's face was anything to go by. "I said it earlier, didn't I? The Pirate King is the freest person in the world! If being a pirate means you're free, then being Pirate King means you're even freer than that!"

Sabo chuckled, catching Ace's eye for a moment before the tsundere looked away. "That so?" The blonde pointed at himself and the brunette. "If that's the case, what if we wanna be the Pirate King, too?"

The kid grinned, looking up at them challengingly. "Then we'll fight."

Both older boys shared a smirk, silently accepting the challenge.

———

"This way goes to the bandit hideout," Sabo said, pointing in a direction, "and that way goes to Foosha. We'll split up here, then."

The kid nodded, smiling. "I wanna stay with you guys longer, but Makino'll be mad if I come home in the middle of a storm," he said, snickering.

"Don't get lost," Ace said, folding his arms in what looked like a cool gesture, but was probably just to keep the boy warm. The snow was coming down in thick sheets now and the harsh winds were freezing.

The kid rubbed his red nose. "I'll be fine! You guys should worry about yourselves, though. The blizzard's only gonna get worse."

"O-Oh?" Sabo asked, a small stutter in the sound as his teeth chattered. "And how do you know that?"

The boy grinned. "Just do."

"Oi," Ace huffed, shoving at Sabo's shoulder lightly. "Let's go, unless you wanna end up a human popsicle."

"Heh, you saying that for me or yourself?"

"Shut up."

The kid giggled. He started walking, waving a bit as he looked back at them. "Bye bye, then! See you guys!"

Sabo waved back as Ace started for the hideout, grunting in acknowledgement. The blonde turned to follow before stopping, almost stumbling forward. He felt like slapping himself—they were walking together for at least an hour, why hadn't he asked sooner?

Sabo turned to the kid who was slowly making his way further from them.

"Hey! What's your name?" He asked, shouting over the howling wind in his ears.

Through the storm of white, he could see a smile.

"It's Luffy!"

Sabo blinked, and the boy was gone.

———

"Oi! Put more effort into it, you brat! You're not trying hard enough!"

Luffy grunted, ducking under the monkey's swing before uppercutting it's chin. The monkey screeched before falling to the ground with its other knocked out friends.

Luffy glared at his grandfather. "Shut up, you old fart! This is boring! I wanna do something else!"

Gramps laughed from his place on the snowy floor. "Boring? Hah! I'll admit that you've made a lot of improvement and are stronger than before, but you've still got a long way to go, you cocky grandson! Now, go spar with some more monkeys and beat them in ten seconds! Maybe then I'll consider giving you some harder training!"

Luffy crossed his arms, scowling. "You're underestimating me, shitty geezer! I could beat 'em in five if I wanted to! They're all weak!"

"Hoh? Really? Show me."

The boy's brow twitched at the challenge as he turned to look at the last two monkeys remaining, the poor things looking around for an escape. Luffy would've felt sorry for them if he weren't so pissed. The monkeys flinched when his eyes landed on them and they stepped back a bit, but froze when Gramps sent a glare their way. Visibly gulping, the monkeys charged.

It really ended in five seconds. Luffy easily dodged both tackles, slapped away desperate swings of arms, and punched them in the face. The monkeys collapsed, unconscious.

Luffy turned to his Gramps, grinning triumphantly.

The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Huh. Would you look at that."

The five year old let out a confident huff through his nose. "See? I told you! I'm super strong now!" He smirked, sending a sly look at the geezer. "I bet I could give even you a run for your money, damned grandpa."

Famous last words.

Gramps stood at that, rolling up his sleeves. "You brat," he said, grinning maniacally. "Fine. Let's see just how strong you've gotten."

———

"Gyeh, dammit shitty Gramps...! I'll make you pay..." Luffy groaned miserably. His everything hurt .

Gramps had the audacity to laugh. "Says the brat that has to be carried back to the village! You can't even move right now! Keep starting fights with strong opponents like me and you'll die on the field, you cocky grandson!"

Luffy dug his face into his grandfather's back and shouted muffled curses into his clothes.

His body screamed at him with every step Gramps took, as if it was voicing its resentment at his decision to challenge the marine hero. Honestly, Luffy regretted it now, too. His Gramps was stronger than when he'd last seen him in his first life and Luffy wasn't anywhere near the level he was at when he was 17, let alone 21. He couldn't land a single hit on the geezer. The only thing he was really able to do was dodge due to his recent battle Observation Haki training, but even then he was only able to avoid a Fist of Love a few times. He'd been hit so many times he'd lost count. Luffy also had to restrain himself from using Armament since he didn't want Gramps finding out about it yet, but he didn't think it would have helped much, anyway.

Luffy picked up his head and set his chin on his grandfather's shoulder. "Well, not everyone's gonna be as strong as you! You could hold back a bit!"

"I was holding back!" Gramps said, and Luffy's nose scrunched. "But criminals won't hold back on you! So you've gotta learn to take punches and fight back! You're gonna be a fine marine, so I can't have you losing to some no-name pirate."

"I ain't gonna be a marine..." Luffy mumbled, but he was close enough to Gramps' ear that the man heard it.

"I won't be hearing that from you! I'm training you to be a marine so you better be a good one!"

Arguments like these were practically routine now, especially since Luffy started declaring that he'd be the Pirate King. Somehow it only motivated the old man to train him harder.

"Imma be a good pirate ..." Luffy said, eyes feeling heavy. "Pirate King..."

He heard Gramps exhale through his nose as the old man didn't respond. He continued trekking down the slope of the mountain, the faint sound of birds somewhere in the forest lulling Luffy into a doze.

"You," Gramps started, and Luffy blinked slowly. "Why do you want to be a pirate?"

The boy hummed, half-awake. "..Wanna be free."

His grandpa didn't respond, eyes drawn ahead, and Luffy looked at him through bleary eyes.

"You could be free in the marines," Gramps said a moment later. "They'll protect you."

Luffy closed his eyes and exhaled. His breath floated lightly in the air, white as the snow.

"...No they won't."

(Garp doesn't question Luffy's answer. The boy shouldn't have any clue of what he's saying, but in the back of his mind he knows. He knows that Luffy knows .)

The silence was deafening and now, Luffy was wide awake. The sound of snow crunching underfoot and the ringing in his ears was the only thing he could hear. Gramps said nothing, though his pace slowed.

It went on for a couple more minutes and Luffy left him to his thoughts, turning his head to look around them. The quiet was painful, but needed. This had to be confronted sooner or later. His mind was made up and no matter what his grandpa did it wouldn't change. He was stubborn; Gramps knew that.

The silence was broken when Gramps finally spoke.

"Just... don't go taking over the world, ya hear?"

Luffy's head swerved, eyes blown wide with disbelief.

"Old ma—"

"Stay out of trouble if you can, but knowing that blood in your veins it'll be impossible," Gramps interrupted, chuckling a bit, but it sounded wet and full of regret.

"Gramps..."

The marine hero turned his head, tears gathering at the edges of his eyes. Luffy realized he was tearing up, too.

"Don't get caught, you brat."

Luffy's lip quivered and he willed himself not to cry. Never—not once had he imagined—that such a day would come. He let out a laugh, a stray tear slipping down his face.

"As if, stupid geezer! I'm gonna be so strong, not even you can catch me!"

Gramps laughed too, tears streaming down his face. "You better! I don't wanna attend my own grandson's execution!"

Luffy hiccuped, an image of Ace on a tall wooden platform flashing painfully in the forefront of his mind. His resolve hardened, even as tears flew down his eyes.

"You won't have to."

———

Garp stayed one night later than usual. He slept in his grandson's room, holding the sleeping boy's small form to his chest. He stared out the window, at the moon, and thought about the events that unfolded earlier that day.

It was inevitable—he'd always known that. With his son leaving, starting a rebellion against the government, and becoming the world's most wanted man so soon after Roger's death, he'd wondered what else life could throw at him. Later he'd been answered with a bundle that his son had given him, asking him to keep safe and raise in his place. Garp had been busy with his role as a marine and dropped the child off at Foosha, entrusting him to Makino's care. He visited often, checking up on the baby as much as he could, before his visits slowly became less frequent, once or twice a month. By the time Luffy was five he could only visit once every two or three months.

He wondered how Luffy grew when he was away, how he spent his time. Before he knew it the baby was walking, talking, running around, and somehow decided to become a pirate. He'd started training him to convince him otherwise, to make him into a marine, but somehow his efforts did the opposite.

Garp wanted Luffy to be safe. His son had run off to play a game with the World Government and he wondered if that was his fault, for not spending enough time with him. He'd tried to make up for it with his grandson but failed on that end, too. He'd looked away for a moment and when he looked back Luffy had changed as well.

He'd only ever wanted what was best for his family. Garp loved them dearly and wanted to protect them, but he had a duty in his role as a marine. With his son against the world and his standing as Vice Admiral there wasn't much he could do besides go after him. His son barely showed his face but when he did he was lucky that Sengoku rarely assigned such tasks to him. After Luffy had been dropped on him he opted to raise him secret, in a remote village in the east Blue, where he could keep him safe.

The first time the boy's dream to be a pirate was declared he'd brushed it off. The second, fear for his safety grew in him. If Luffy became a pirate he'd be wanted, and if word got out of his heritage, even more so. He would be in danger, so Garp resolved to train him to be a marine, so he'd be safe within their ranks. It was naive and he refused to think of what could go wrong, but Luffy had thrown it into his face earlier.

As a pirate, as a marine, even as a civilian—Luffy would never truly be safe.

The D. in his name only hardened the fact.

In the end, Garp could only relent. Luffy was stubborn to a fault and dead-set on becoming a pirate, he knew. He watched his grandson grow stronger and stronger, the light in his eyes as he spoke of being a pirate or Pirate King (god, he still wondered why his grandson had decided to be such a thing) and his resolve crumbled in the end. He gave in, but decided to help him along. He'd train him to be strong enough to protect himself and his crew if he ever gathered one. He trusted Luffy to gather good people. The world was full of strong people, especially in the Grand Line, in the New World. Garp could prepare him for that, at the very least.

A marine encouraging a potential pirate, Garp thought to himself. How Senny would be laughing at me.

Still, if he could, he'd throw in suggestions of becoming a marine to somehow convince him otherwise, no matter how futile it may be. He half wondered if he truely meant it now, with the realization that becoming a marine would possibly do more harm than good. It was probably out of habit at this point.

Luffy stirred, rolling around and blinking awake. Garp looked down at him as his grandson rubbed his eyes.

"Gramps...?"

Garp let out a light exhale through his nose and moved his hand from the boy's back to his head, petting black hair.

"What woke you up?" He asked, whispering in the quiet of the room.

"Nothing," Luffy mumbled back. "Just had a weird dream."

Garp continued carding his fingers over the boy's head. He thought of his earlier thoughts—of his son, Luffy's father—and maybe, maybe his grandson would understand, just a little bit.

"Luffy," he said, head turned towards the window once more, looking out at the dark sky, eyes distant. "Let me tell you about your father."

———

A month had passed and the boy—Luffy, Sabo said his name was—hadn't been seen again. While he slipped his mind sometimes, Ace never forgot about him, especially the words he said. They were words he'd never expected to hear, after all, and he knew the kid said them with sincerity. It made him happy, in a way.

He'd only asked that same question once after the incident at the bar and after he'd gotten his answer it felt old. He still punched the man and escaped with Sabo at his heels but he didn't go back again. Somehow it suddenly seemed entirely not worth it. He still had mixed feelings about Roger and himself but he didn't want answers from strangers anymore.

They kept to the Gray Terminal and only went to Edge Town when they needed to sell stuff for money. The money they made plus the gold and silver and jewels they found from nobles who carelessly threw them away had them stacking up a pretty impressive pirate fund. The last time they counted, they had at least twelve million beri.

Ace thought about the kid again, his words, of freedom and pirates, and an excited rush filled his veins. He couldn't wait until they became pirates and sailed those bright open waters.

For now though, they were stuck on this island, in this forest and dump, stealing and scavenging for their growing savings.

Currently they were hunting in the forest for lunch. Sabo said he spotted a few rabbits and they were looking around the area the blonde said he'd seen them. The snow was soft under his boots and he was careful not to make too much noise in case he scared away the prey. Finding game in winter was hard enough when most of the animals were sleeping the season away. The lake they usually targeted crocodiles was iced over, too.

Ace could see Sabo further off in his peripherals by some bushes, seeming to have no luck as well. The rabbits' white fur blended too well with the snow, after all, and they were fast for their size. Even if they found the small animals there was no guarantee they could chase after them.

Groaning under his breath, Ace turned towards his friend and whisper-shouted across the short distance.

"We could try setting up traps," he suggested. "It'd make this a helluva lot easier."

Sabo looked at him, thinking, before shrugging. "I guess, but we don't have any materials and your place is too far away."

They usually stole stuff from the bandits to use in elaborate traps, but the bandit hideout was too far away and if they left the rabbits could be long gone by the time they came back.

"Well, got anything at your place? You could stop by the Gray Terminal for a bit, too. It's not that far from here."

Sabo shrugged, though looked thoughtful. "I might. I guess I could check, but you'd have to look for those rabbits yourself."

Ace nodded easily enough. "That's fine. Just come back quickly."

He watched as Sabo straightened and dusted some snow off his pants. "Alright then," the blonde said, before grinning teasingly. "Don't go losing our lunch."

Ace rolled his eyes. "Just go already, idiot. I'm hungry."

Sabo snickered and left, footprints trailing behind him in the snow. Ace huffed through his nose and went back to searching for the rabbits.

A minute or two passed of him looking through bushes and around trees when he finally spotted a moving patch of white—two, to be exact. His eyes widened and he froze before he scared them off, quickly ducking behind a small tree.

The rabbits were sniffing around in the snow and Ace turned his head to see if Sabo was still nearby. When he didn't see anything, Ace tsked and turned back towards the rabbits. Looks like he'd have to do it himself.

Taking a deep breath he sprung from his hiding place and into the open, the rabbits' ears shooting up and heads swiveling towards him in surprise. They ran, snow kicking up into the air, with Ace hot on their heels.

They were much faster than he thought and Ace found himself cursing every time they managed to slip from his grasp. They wound through trees and snowy underbrush and Ace almost lost them twice. He kept chasing them around the forest, getting further and further from his original position. He hoped Sabo would be able to follow his footprints.

The chase stopped when the rabbits slid into a small hole under a tree. Ace got on his knees and stuck a hand in the burrow, waving around and feeling nothing but dirt.

The brunette growled alongside his stomach. "Get out here, you furry little shits!" All that running made him hungrier and it was doing nothing for his patience.

With another frustrated growl Ace looked up for something to poke around the hole

with; preferably a long, pointy stick. Instead of finding a stick, though, he saw small indents in the snow around the tree. He scrambled to a stand and looked at the other side of the tree, seeing a similar burrow on the opposite end with two tracks of footprints leading out of it.

Ace felt his eye twitch. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me..."

Before he could scream and chase after them, a deep rumble filled the previously quiet space. Ace stilled, sweat forming on his brow despite the cold, and turned around slowly.

There, just a few measly meters from his face, was the Tiger Lord, teeth bared menacingly.

Ace gulped.

When the fuck had it gotten there?

The beast roared, trees shaking and snow falling from thin branches, and Ace bolted, a startled cry leaving his mouth. The Tiger Lord followed, bounding after him like a predator after prey—like he had after the rabbits.

Stupid, shitty karma! He screamed in his mind, gritting his teeth as he ran, feet sinking into the snow and making him slower than he'd like. He tried to zigzag through the trees and throw the Tiger Lord off but the tiger had no trouble keeping up and making the harsh turns. Ace cursed the feline's flexibility.

After dashing to make a particularly sharp turn Ace slipped, his foot getting caught by the deep snow. He fell with a loud shout, turning on his back as the Tiger Lord stopped in front of him.

The tiger loomed over him, fierce eyes piercing into his own, and Ace could only brace himself for the inevitable. The beast opened its mouth and Ace closed his eyes, waiting for sharp teeth to close around him—

His eyes shot open when he felt himself being harshly tugged out of the way, watching as the tiger snapped it's jaws shut in the space he once was. His head swerved to look behind him and he saw Sabo, in his blonde headed glory, dragging him through the snow.

"You idiot! Don't freeze up if you're about to be eaten! That's how you die!" Sabo shouted, snapping Ace out of his stunned state and making him stand quickly. They ran as the tiger recovered from its confusion and started chasing both of them.

"How did you get back so fast?" Ace asked, shouting as they sprinted through the forest. "It's only been a few minutes! You couldn't have made it to the Gray Terminal and back!"

"I didn't!" Sabo shouted back. "I heard your shriek and came to save you!"

"I didn't shriek!" Ace yelled, cheeks flaring—from the cold, of course. "And I don't need saving!"

"Oh, clearly!" Sabo said, sarcasm dripping from his words. Ace could practically see the blonde rolling his eyes. "So you would've been fine if I hadn't moved you out of the way back there?"

Ace scowled, but it was wiped off his face when the Tiger Lord got scarily close. He didn't answer as they sped up, running like mad, sweating and their puffs of breath trailing behind them in the cold air.

All too soon they were cornered, running straight into the dead-end of a cliffside. They turned, watching the tiger close in on them, and Ace couldn't help but feel like he'd been in a situation like this before—or at least witnessed it.

With their backs against the cliff and the Tiger Lord blocking off their only exit, they were trapped. Ace would have tried to attack it to get out of there but he knew he was far weaker than the beast and he hadn't even brought his pipe with him. The only thing they could do was wait to be eaten or look for some way to escape.

Ace's eyes darted around for any hope but they were thoroughly trapped by the cliff's tall walls.  He could only watch as the Tiger Lord stopped in front of them, their backs pressing harder against the cliff. He closed his eyes with finality, bracing himself, Sabo doing the same beside him.

He felt the air move as the tiger leaned forward, jaw of sharp teeth wide open once more.

His short life flashed behind his eyelids and he let out a small, shaky breath—

"OI! GET AWAY FROM THEM! "

Ace's eyes shot open at the familiar voice just as something washed over them like a wave. It was like the air around them tensed and solidified with the command and Ace felt the energy drain from his legs. It was familiar but so much more intense .

Ace sank to his knees, seeing Sabo do the same from the corner of his eye, just as the Tiger Lord froze in place. Its tail and ears perked as the fur on its back and its haunches rose. It turned, slowly, and its bright slitted eyes met dark, angry ones.

The kid, Luffy, sneered. "You heard me. Leave. "

The oppressing feeling washed over them again and Ace felt somewhat faint. He could tell the Tiger Lord was feeling the brunt of it—whatever it was—since it was visibly shaking, its ears flattening against its head and its tail curling between its legs. The beast looked like it wanted to crawl into itself as it slowly backed up into the trees, keeping its frightened and dilated eyes on Luffy.

When it reached the edge of the trees, Luffy sent it one last glare. "Don't come back."

It was a clear sign of dismissal and the Tiger Lord eagerly took it, bolting off through the trees and deeper into the forest. It was when the bright orange of its fur disappeared that Ace realized where he'd felt that feeling before. First with the bear, and second at the bar.

"What..." Ace said, the shock still ice flowing through his veins. "What did you do?"

Luffy looked at him, the anger gone from his eyes and replaced with relief. He let out a breathy chuckle. "Shishi, don't worry about it. Are you guys okay?"

At the question Sabo finally snapped out of it, shaking his head and giving Luffy a small, though startled smile. "We're fine. Thanks for, ah, saving us. How did you find us?"

"Hm?" Luffy cocked his head to the side. "You felt scared and I heard screaming since I was close. Good thing too, since you guys might've died!" The happy expression slipped off his face as he frowned. "Don't... Don't do that again, okay? I was worried."

Ace didn't know what 'felt scared' meant but... "Why would you be worried? You hardly know us."

"Isn't it obvious?" Luffy said, blinking. "You guys are my br—friends. Of course I'd be worried."

Ace's lips pressed into a thin line, unsure, but Sabo only smiled wider. "Well, thanks again! I don't know what you did but it sure helped us!"

Ace opened his mouth, about to add on to that because what the heck was that anyway —when his stomach growled. Loudly.

Two pairs of eyes landed on him and Ace felt heat crawl up his neck. "Uh," he said intelligently, and Sabo started laughing.

"S-Shut the hell up!" The brunette shouted, his face heating up further to his horror. Sabo laughed harder. "Stop laughing, dammit!"

Luffy was grinning in clear amusement. "You're hungry?"

Sabo snickered as he spoke. "We kinda got in that position because we were hunting. Don't know how Ace got all the way out here, though."

"They were fast..." The brunette muttered in defense, crossing his arms.

Luffy beamed suddenly. "Oh! I know! Why don't you guys come back to Foosha with me? Makino runs a pub and she's really good at cooking!"

Ace blinked at the offer while Sabo frowned slightly. "Thanks, but," he met eyes with Ace before turning back to the younger boy. "How will we pay?"

Ace nodded in agreement, going along with the blonde. They might've had the money but they didn't have it on them, and as nice as Luffy seemed, they couldn't totally trust him just yet, especially not with information about their pirate fund. They had a lot of money and, for all they knew, the kid was just trying to get on their good side. Though he kind of doubted that now after their second true meeting he was still cautious. Living with bandits and spending time in the Gray Terminal taught him not to give out his trust so easily.

Luffy grinned widely, almost confidently. "Don't worry about that! I'll pay for you guys! I'll put it on my treasure tab!"

"Treasure tab?" Ace asked, idly remembering the kid previously mentioning that he wanted to be a pirate.

Luffy nodded. "Yeah! See, Makino takes care of me all the time! She lets me live with her and she feeds me and gives me clothes and all that! I wanna repay her, and she says she's fine with me helping around the pub, but I really wanna pay her back for everything she's done for me! So when I become a pirate I'll get all this treasure and send it back to her!" Then he leaned in, cupping his mouth as if telling a secret. "Apparently she's also having some trouble with money, so I'm finding and selling stuff from the Gray Terminal to make some beri. I've got around eight thousand beri under my bed right now and I think I'll give it all to her in two years."

He straightened, smiling wide once more, and Ace was a bit surprised. He told them how much money he had and where he had it in one go. Either he was stupid or entirely too trusting. Ace wouldn't steal it though—one, because he was grateful to the kid, two, it was for a good cause, and three, he wasn't that low, dammit. He may have been raised by bandits but he wouldn't act like one.

"So? How about it?" Luffy asked. Beside him, Sabo shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I don't mind eating free. Ace?"

His stomach answered for him and Ace looked away, a familiar red forming on his cheeks. "Let's just... go..."

Sabo laughed again, louder, and Luffy joined him. Ace smacked them both upside the head.

———

The saloon doors swung open and Luffy pushed past the thick curtains keeping the cold and snow out, Ace and Sabo doing the same behind him.

"Makino! I'm back!"

His shout filled the mostly quiet bar, there being only two or three customers, and Makino looked up at him from behind the counter.

"Luffy?" She asked, perplexed. "You're back early. You only left less than an hour ago or so."

"Yeah, but my b—friends were hungry so I brought them here!" Luffy said, mentally scolding himself for the slip up again. They weren't his brothers yet so he couldn't just go calling them that. "And don't worry about them paying! Put it on my treasure tab!"

"Your friends?" Makino looked around Luffy and at the two older boys standing behind him. She smiled. "It's nice to meet you boys. I'm Makino.

Sabo spoke, giving a small, if shy, smile. "I'm Sabo, and this is Ace."

The brunette merely nodded silently, but Makino smiled at them anyway. "Well, come on in and take a seat! I'll set some food out for you."

Sabo thanked her politely as Luffy led them to the barstools at the front. They watched as Makino began cooking and despite eating earlier Luffy started drooling at the smells that filled the bar. Makino gave him a knowing look and made extra for Luffy, much to the boy's delight.

The plates were set out in front of them, simple servings of fried rice that smelled (and tasted) delicious nonetheless. They ate quickly, hungrily, and while Luffy finished his second serving and was about to go on his third, he saw Ace and Sabo sitting awkwardly beside him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, drawing their attention. Makino looked up from where she was washing the dishes. "You done eating?"

The two boys shared a look with each other before looking down at their plates, fidgeting a little.

"We—uh, we eat a lot. Usually," Ace started, stuttering.

"Like, a lot a lot," Sabo added, earning a half-hearted glare from the brunette.

"But we're fine. We don't, uh, need any more," Ace finished.

Sabo nodded beside him and bowed his head. "Thank you very much for the food."

Just as he finished saying that, at the same time both their stomachs growled, obviously not satisfied. They blushed bright red and ducked their heads as Luffy started laughing.

Makino put her hands on her hips and smiled. "Now, I won't be having hungry kids walk in my pub without leaving full. I don't mind feeding you two, really. Eat as much as you want." She grinned and waved a hand at Luffy who was already halfway finished with his third serving of fried rice. "Besides, I have experience feeding that little one since he's been in my care. It'll be fine."

Ace and Sabo looked unconvinced. Undeterred, Makino rolled up her sleeves. "Well, how about I show you the skill I've gained over the past five years?"

———

There was a crowd watching them, surrounding the front of the bar where Makino cooked and the boys ate and ate. One of the customers earlier told a friend, who told another friend, who told another friend, and the next thing she knew a majority of the village was in her bar. Makino would have flustered over the amount of people there (even if they weren't ordering anything) but she was two occupied with her task of dishing out more and more plates of fried rice. Really, when those boys said they could eat, they meant they could eat .

It was like feeding three Luffys at the same time. She could barely catch a break before one of them finished their plate and asked for another. She was sweating from cooking so much but the smiles on all their faces made it worth it.

Forty minutes later Makino reached into the bag of rice and found it empty, forcing their eating spree to come to an end. At least thirty plates were piled on the table in front of the boys. Seeing them stop, the awed customers clapped and left shortly afterwards. Makino heard some say that they'd stop over one day, so she was happy to have gotten some potential customers at least.

After announcing that they were out of rice Sabo's eyes widened and he hopped off his barstool and to the floor, bowing at the waist.

"I'm sorry! We ate too much!" Sabo said, dragging Ace down and pushing him into a bow as well. "We'll pay for the food after all!"

Makino shook her head, smiling slightly at them. "It's alright, you don't have to do that. I was the one who said I'd feed you as much as you wanted, after all." She took on a thoughtful look. "Though, we are a bit low on food now."

Turning to the boys, Makino smiled. "How about this? Instead of having Luffy pay for your meal in the future, come back every once in a while. I'd like to see you both again."

Both Ace and Sabo looked up at her with surprised expressions. She chuckled a bit and added, "You both live in the forest, don't you?" At their nods she continued. "Then, when you visit again, do you think you both can bring some game? Fresh meat does taste the best, after all."

Stunned at the offer, both boys blinked.

"Um, what about the rice?" Sabo asked.

Makino waved a hand, unconcerned. "We have some more bags in the basement and I can buy more if we need to. Don't worry about it."

After hearing that, the blonde looked to the freckled brunette who shrugged. Sabo looked back to Makino and nodded somewhat timidly but with a smile on his face. "We can do that, then. Thank you and, uh, sorry again."

Makino smiled and Luffy, who had been sitting quietly, cheered loudly. He jumped from his seat and onto the two older boys, pulling them into a hug. "Yay! Ace and Sabo are coming again!"

Ace's face turned red from the smaller brunette's open display of affection and he put his hand on the boy's face and pushed. "Oi, let go of me, idiot!"

Luffy stayed latched to them, hugging them tightly from their middles despite Ace's pushing. Sabo looked uncomfortable but didn't seem to mind too much, if the hand on Luffy's back was anything to go by. Makino chuckled and watched as Luffy dragged them towards the stairs to see his room, probably to show them his drawings. He was awfully proud of them after all.

As they got further up the stairs their voices grew harder to hear and Makino started to clean up the dishes. As she put the plates in the sink, she heard Luffy's happy shout.

"Makino's really nice, isn't she!"

After a pause, quieter than the five year old, two voices said, "Yeah, she is."

Makino smiled as the sound of a door shutting reached her ears.

So I recently learned that the practice swords that Zoro's using for training at the dojo are called shinai, so I went back and edited that a bit. Also! A little trivia; the bit where Luffy says "A newborn child bears no sin!" is a direct reference to Roger's line when he asks Garp to take care of Ace! Just wanted to throw that in there :D

The bit about Garp's thoughts was a spur of the moment thing I hadn't planned to include but am glad I did! Garp's a really interesting character and I honestly felt bad for him after the whole Paramount War. At least I can give him reassurance here!!

Honestly, I'm not that great at writing inspirational bits (as seen in chapter 4 I might go back and edit that one day) but I think I did a pretty good job this chapter >:D

Anyway sorry for the long wait for the chapter, but I hope you enjoyed it! Things are finally starting to get a move on and it's gonna get exciting from here! I'm gonna have so much fun writing it hehe. I'll make an effort to write more and faster so the breaks between won't be so long, but until then, see you guys next time! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

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