Trial & Error

Another one shot dedicated to the brotherly relationship between Ace and Luffy.

Thank you everyone who reviewed/favored my last One Piece one shot! You guys are awesome and made my day!

Read, Enjoy and Review please!

The first time he saw Luffy he had no idea what to do with him. His immediate impression was that the seven year old was too small, big-eyed, loud and annoying. He looked weak and would not last long on . And he was right; the brat had taken nothing but beatings from Ace for three months. Luffy was a persistent little bastard. Ace would admit that, not that he would tell the brat that.

Later, as he watched Sabo fuss over Luffy because the idiot had gotten himself eaten by a large snake, he felt (very) slightly jealous. Sabo had been his friend first, not Luffy's, and he reacted in the only way he knew; he yelled and made an ass out of himself. Ace ignored the slight twinge of guilt as he saw the flash of hurt in Luffy's big, brown eyes and the heated glare of confusion from Sabo.

But even he couldn't resist Luffy's charm.

He found it hard to yell at the smaller boy when he was looking at him with adoring eyes and a large, happy grin. He never knew anyone (aside from Sabo) who was that happy to see him. Much less someone who wanted him to be alive and needed him.

Luffy had filled a void in his heart that he never realized was empty to begin with, soothed a deep pain in him that came from the knowledge of being unwanted and hated by all. If his being alive meant that the pain brought by loneliness was extinguished, then perhaps he wouldn't give up on the world just yet.

It wasn't long until the three friends became brothers. Nothing truly changed between them, the only actual difference was that both Ace and Sabo's priorities had shifted and narrowed down to Luffy. Experience had taught both Ace and Sabo that life was cruel and that people around them were even more so.

They were surrounded by people that held no sympathy for children and would sooner kill them or sell them for quick money. Even their forest home was filled with monsters that wouldn't hesitate to eat them. However, unlike Luffy, they were both used to the danger that ruled their lives and had adjusted and grown around it.

The sudden realization that their home was truly dangerous for their overly trusting baby brother had them both reeling and suddenly fearful. The monstrous animals of the Middle Forest had never seemed so dangerous, the people looked more sinister and carried too many sharp weapons that could easily end Luffy's life. There was no way that either Ace or Sabo could live with themselves if anything happened to Luffy. So they resolved to do everything in their power to protect their brother, they would become stronger for the sake of their brother.

Ace was at a lost on what to do when Sabo had been taken away by his noble parents. His instincts screamed for him to go rescue his brother. But his brain told him that he simply could not just leave Luffy defenseless among their enemies while he retrieved Sabo. His heart dictated that he and Luffy should wait for Sabo to come back on his own, his brother was strong and there was no way he would be held back by snobby nobles. So he chose to have faith in Sabo.

Ace was not afraid of many things. And if he was, he never showed it. But as the fire blazed and destroyed Gray Terminal he was terrified. Behind him he could hear Luffy's fearful whimpers, and his heart clenched because it was his fault that they were in this mess. His fault that Luffy was scared and nearly crying. So he whirled around towards his brother and hugged him; reassuring him that everything would work out and that he was going to be okay and shouldn't cry because Ace was going to make sure that Luffy lived through this.

For once he could not bring himself to yell at Luffy to stop crying. Especially since he himself was barely holding it together. His heart went out to his brother as he listened to his declaration of wanting to be stronger so that he would never lose anyone ever again. And his heart sored with joy and cried all at once as Luffy begged him to please not die and leave him behind alone.

"I promise not to die! I can't leave behind a weakling of a brother like you."

He refused to put Luffy through the heartache of a world without his brothers. Ace needed to live and survive because he would not leave his baby brother to be alone in a world that oppressed freedom and that wanted people like them to disappear.

The weeks that followed Sabo's death were devastating. He would have reoccurring dreams of his brother only to wake up to the cold reality that his brother was gone and dead. As a result he would wake him in a foul mood. Luffy was the opposite; he would have nightmares and wake up crying which led to Luffy being mopey and whiny.

An angry Ace coupled with a whiny Luffy was not a good combination.

The stress of the past few weeks became too much and in a fit of rage Ace yelled and pushed Luffy away- the brat could fend for himself as far as Ace was concerned. And he was paying for his mistake as he watched in frozen fear as Luffy was viciously ripped open by the giant bear's claws. And too much of his precious brother's blood was flowing out of his little body.

Now he was stuck waiting for his too pale baby brother to please open his eyes so that he could apologize. Because he never wanted him to get hurt and now Luffy could die and he would be alone and he was a horrible brother because how could he loose both his brothers in less than a month?

And what would he do if Luffy died?

The thought of his bubbly little brother dead was terrifying and made his eyes burn with hot tears.

"I'm sorry." He choked out.

He was sorry because he didn't mean for this to happen. Sorry for not being strong enough to protect you.

"I'm sorry Luffy…Please don't die…" He pleaded desperately. He couldn't lose Luffy, he had already lost Sabo and he promised that he would take care of Luffy.

"Ace..." was called in a low, pain-laced tired voice that was so unlike Luffy and it scared him because Luffy was supposed to be loud and running around driving people crazy. But he was happy, because yes his brother opened his eyes and that was a sign that he could recover. Not laying deathly still on a bed covered in bandages that looked paler than Luffy's face-

"..Why is...Ace crying..?"

When did he start crying? But his brother was awake and alive and he did not give a damn.

"I'm sorry." He repeated, he was happy and relieved and upset and angry all at once and how was he supposed to tell Luffy all this when he himself couldn't tell what he was feeling?

He let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding and gently pressed his forehead to Luffy's. Luffy understood actions better than words; he knew Luffy would get what he wanted to say.

I promise that I'll protect you. I won't let anyone hurt you while I'm here. I won't let something like this happen again. I'll be a better brother.

Luffy gave him a pained, tiny, happy smile. And Ace smiled because Luffy understood what he wanted to say.

It had taken weeks for Luffy to recover from the bear attack. And during that time Ace had come to the startling realization that he was a big brother. Not that he didn't understand before, he did. But thinking back on it, Ace hadn't necessarily taken an active role as Luffy's brother.

Sabo had.

Sabo had been the one who comforted the younger boy when he had a nightmare or was hurt. Sabo was the one who helped and encouraged Luffy when it came to his Devil Fruit powers. Sabo never yelled or hit Luffy. Sabo would also make sure that Luffy had enough food after everyone had fought for their
fair share. Sabo was the kinder big brother.

Not Ace.

Sure, he had protected his baby brother when necessary, but all he had done was yell or hit Luffy for the smallest things or tease his brother about how his powers would be useless in battle. Ace would especially yell at the smaller boy if he even started to shed a tear.

The total opposite of Sabo.

The last several weeks had shown Ace that it wasn't enough to just physically take care of Luffy. Luffy didn't just need for someone to protect him when he couldn't. He needed someone to understand him. Someone that actually cared for him. Someone that could look out for him without babying him.

Someone who could be a real friend.

Someone that would love and accept him for who he was.

And Ace wasn't sure wither he could be any of those things. He was violent and far from gentle. He was a demon and a monster that no one wanted. How could he show love and care to someone when he didn't know…?

'He's our little brother. Take care of him for me!'

But he would damn try, because it was his brother's last wish and he wanted to be a better big brother for Luffy because he was worth that effort and deserved to be loved and accepted and cared for and treasured.

"Ace! Can I go outside now? Please? I'm not hurting anymore!" Luffy's voice rang out, happy and pleading with big eyes looking up at Ace like he was his favorite person in the world. A giant smile threatening to split his face in two-

A smile that was loving and accepting. And he felt a joyful tightening in his chest because it was being directed at him and he hadn't done anything to deserve it. And it was being thrown at him like it was natural.

"Please Ace? You promised I could go outside today!" His round eyes grew wider and his smaller hands were tugging insistently at Ace's hands as the smaller boy bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly.

He couldn't help but grin back at his little brother and gently ruffle his hair, earning a happy giggle and bigger smile.

"Yeah, just let me make sure that it's safe okay?"

1/1-5/5

It had been three years since he last laid eyes on his brother and he was pleased with what he saw. Luffy hadn't changed much, aside from being taller, and he was internally grateful for that.

When he left Dawn Island, he had been worried that maybe he shouldn't just yet because it would at least be another three years before he would ever see Luffy again and anything could happen to his little brother in that period of time ("Ace! I'm not a baby, don't worry about me!") and Ace wouldn't know if something did happen.

But as he watched his bubbly little brother happily interact with his crewmates, laughing and smiling widely he felt his worries dissipate. He smiled, because Luffy was directing that same loving smile that he directed at Ace at his companions and it was being returned.

And Ace felt so relived because his brother had found people that loved him and treasured him for who he was unconditionally. Real friends.

He no longer had to wonder what kind of people Luffy was traveling with, wither they were actually good or people just taking advantage of his trusting brother. But they weren't, he could see these people genuinely cared for Luffy and would treasure him just as much as Ace.

And this was confirmed as he looked at each of the Straw Hats in the eye; they understood what Ace was asking of them (take care of him for me) and they were more than happy to comply because they understood just how important Luffy was.

Ace could entrust his (and Sabo's) treasure (baby brother) to them.

5/5-1/1

Even as he laid dying on the battlefield of Marineford, leaning and bleeding heavily on his devastated brother, Ace was happy. While he struggled to draw breath through blood and burnt lungs, he was happy and felt at peace.

His heart ached as he heard Luffy's desperate pleading for Ace not to leave him and that he had promised that he wouldn't die and why he had saved him because he didn't understand why. And he was scared and hurt and please get up so we can go home.

A small part of him felt slightly guilty because his brother was crying and he had promised that he wouldn't die and here he was doing just that.

But he didn't feel bad.

Because he didn't regret a single thing he has done in his life and he had done his job as a big brother and protected his little brother. Even if it hurt Luffy, he was still alive and that made Ace beyond happy and he would gladly do it again. He wondered briefly if Sabo would be proud of him?

He did not have to worry about leaving Luffy behind and alone because his little brother was strong and would get over this eventually and he had nakama that cared and loved him just as much as he did and they would protect his brother for him and help him heal from this.

And as Luffy continued to plead with him to not go, he smiled and felt warmth spread through his body that had nothing to do with his burnt flesh.

He had never felt so loved and alive as he did right there and then.

"…Even though I have the blood of a demon…Thank you…for loving me…!"

And as the darkness began to cloud his eyes, eyes closing for the finale time, heartbeat slowing down to a stop, he smiled.

Because Luffy would be okay.

I almost made myself cry while writing this. I will never get over Ace's death and how much Luffy was hurt over his brother dying. Although the re-introduction of Sabo does help.

But on a happier note, have you guys heard about the One Piece TV Special airing on August 30? I can't wait because the special addresses what happens during Luffy's two year training session after Ace dies! This has not been addressed yet in either the anime or manga and I'm excited to see how the special will turn out.

Well enough of my rambling, please tell me what you thought about this one shot! I love hearing from you guys!