Hi! Another reincarnation fic but just one piece this time. Kinda angsty i guess and minor OCs, like parents that play no role in life at all. Im not actually sure where it's based but imma say the closest we're getting is Australia because i cbf to search up how it goes in other countries.

Originally i got the idea of the song Wonderland by Caravan Palace but without the slavery and murder :/ eh, enjoy.

Whoops, just realised that my title is from bring me the horizon *shrugs*

Matthew Adronia was an ordinary kinda guy, simple in others eyes.

He had black hair and doe-like eyes. He was easy-going and he didn't ever get angry.

He had no friends and could always be seen in sandals and faded denim cut-offs no matter the season.

He had a nuclear family, his Grandpa sometimes visiting, accompanied by his Grandma who always smelt of cinnamon and lavender.

His parents travelled a lot, probably because of their job, he didn't know and frankly, he didn't care. He might love his parents but they were very… distant, they seemed more a figment of his imagination than anything.

He always attended high school wherever it was.

He wasn't particularly bright but sometimes he would remember the peak of the Great Pirate era and other miniscule details of historical events.

(Curiously enough he always had an urge to go into great details of the many torture contraptions formed throughout history)

Or sometimes he was able to perfectly cook while other times the kitchens almost burned down when he attempted to do anything.

(The girls would always look at him in mild fascination and flushed cheeks as he carefully offered his treats to them in school)

Or sometimes when he fell over he had an itch in the back of his mind to wrap it, and the forefront of his mind would be flooded with medical knowledge he never knew he had.

(He always took the bandages off afterwards and could feel the itch persist until he replaced them)

Sometimes, when he was in geography, he could perfectly graph a map, complete with measurements, scales and contour intervals.

(Funnily enough that was when peoples' wallets and other valuable tended to disappear)

Unusually, at a few schools, a kendo dojo was run as an extra-curricular activity and he had attended the first lesson, surprised when he picked up three bamboo sticks and slipped into exercises as if he had done them prior.

(At that stage he would be thirsty, so thirsty that he had once stolen the kendo masters' bottle of whiskey – he had been surprised to find it in his hands and settling deep in his stomach afterwards)

Sometimes he would attend music classes and sit down at a piano, eying the keys wistfully, then, he would burst into song, playing the instrument with an ease and grace he did not possess.

(He would always look to the horizon for an ocean at that stage, wishing for a friend)

During art classes, he was notorious for being awful at… well, everything. But sometimes he could artfully twist his paintbrush and brush out an image – more times often than not it was of a superhero he could not name and a ship.

(Strangely enough he was always compelled to lie at that stage – and as bad as he was at art, he was worse at lying)

Or a few times during woodwork and metalwork – sometimes even during science he had suddenly been struck by an idea and had let his hands move through the motions – what motions? He was unsure of the answer but his hands were sure so he allowed them to guide him to the finished product.

(He attempted to strip several times, and had also tried to replace someone prosthetic with a mechanical – he had gotten expelled for that)

And other times he endeavoured to speak to creatures of the sea, sometimes it seemed as if they understood because on several different occasions the whales he had been shouting at playfully flicked their tails and the dolphins skipped on over to him.

(He always tried to swim and was dismayed to find he was unable… it caused something within him to cry mournfully)

So yes, he was a little weird, people had thrown names at him for it, mostly specialists after his ever-so-distant parents had shown a little caring had told him that it sounded like the beginnings of schizophrenia.

(He never did the recommended exercises and his parents didn't try and force him into it)

But aside from that he was pretty normal.

But at night… at night it was always different and while he never really could remember the dreams vividly enough he clung to the wispy cobwebs as best as he could.

Nine people, nine, nine, he had to remember that number, it was important. He was sure it was important, he didn't know why but he knew it was.

It just was, just like the sky was blue because of gases and how the sun and the moon were fixtures in the sky.

He liked the study of geography the most and when people would ask why he'd say, "Because we talk about the ocean a lot, and I like the ocean."

And when they'd repeat why he'd reply, "Because the ocean means freedom."

And that was that.

He sometimes had fleeting periods of deep sadness, like he was missing a part of him. Well, two parts to be exact.

He had a feeling that that was what brothers would feel like.

And on his 16th birthday he had pulled out a worn-down box of sakazuki cups and an aged bottle of sake and silently sat down and raised one of three cups to the ceiling in salute.

Adronia had no idea why but by this stage he stopped worrying about these silly little things.

It was on his 17th birthday that his parents smiled proudly and pulled him onto a hired yacht and taken him out on the cerulean coast of Brazil.

He remembered it vividly – the first time he had ever been on a boat – and it had been spectacular. He had sat at the front of the little thing and wistfully wished for a different boat – but the one he was thinking of was a caravel.

His parents had shared discussions under candlelight, accompanied by a sweet-smelling wine and had spoken of where they went wrong.

Matthew understood, he wasn't truly theirs, he could feel it in his veins. He may be biologically but he knew that he wasn't really theirs.

How could he be when he dreamt of the nine people?

And of others, so many others that only was a part of his life for fleeting moments.

Blue, flames. Everything was swallowed into the abyss every time he awoke, scrambling for something.

After a week of being 17 he had met a green-haired man who was lazily watching juniors beat each other up with bamboo sticks in the schools' kendo club.

"Hi! You've got really cool hair, what's your name?" Matthew, not really knowing how to approach the man properly said and without preamble sat down on the ground.

The man, to his credit barely looked offended instead he sighed long-sufferingly and a smirk pulled his mouth out of its frown, without looking up he said. "That's not really how you talk to stranger's kid."

Matthew tilted his head. "If you tell me your name we won't be strangers anymore."

The man snorted. "Roronoa Zoro." Roronoa Zoro introduced himself, eyeing the younger boy in the corner of his eye. "Now it's your turn."

"I'm M-" He'd been about to say Matthew Adronia, but… that name didn't fit, did it? The name he had searched for the entirety of his life was sitting on the tip of his tongue and after an agonising pause he blurted. "Monkey D. Luffy."

"Luffy huh?" Zoro smiled from his position under a tree. "You sure that's your name kid, you looked certain of the other name before."

"That's my name." And it was, Luffy didn't know why or how but again an external force had pressured him into a different path.

The green haired man smiled widely and after what felt like an eternity but not of silence between the two Zoro said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Well then, I suppose I'll see you here tomorrow. I'm giving you a lift home."

Luffy had merely grinned and with a little "Shishi sure." The duo had left the dojo and approached the battered green commodore that Zoro identified as his own.

(It took a lot longer than 10 minutes for them to actually get to his house but it was the best hour he had ever spent in his life)

Unsurprisingly his parents hadn't cared too much about his name change, apparently, they had expected it if their late-night conversation was to be believed.

He had gone to bed hollow that night.

But his dreams had made him feel warm on the inside and he had resolved the call Zoro the next morning, opting to skip the day of school.

Within another week Luffy grew extremely close with the man known as Roronoa Zoro, he was so cool. He could work three swords and as such worked in tournaments to earn money and as a promise.

He lived with a girl.

Not like that but just normally. They were friends. "Nami, I love mikans and money." And that was how she introduced herself, apparently, she had no last name.

But that was okay, Luffy hadn't even known his own name for over 17 years.

Nami spent most of her time documenting the world through maps, she submitted them to the local college for a small sum in return. She also had taken over part of Zoro's backyard with a grove of mikan trees.

The house was officially Zoro's but Nami had pestered him long enough that he agreed to let her be a tenant. They had met after a kendo match, Zoro kicking the five men overwhelming her in a dark alleyway.

It was horribly cliché and Luffy couldn't help but think that Nami probably would've been able to deal with them if she had a bo staff.

But, back to the house, it was built over two separate blocks of land which had led to the extended backyard. It was double story, the second overlooking the ocean and the slowly rising city-line. It was cluttered with bottles, plants and other little knick-knacks.

More noticeably, Nami's room had one wall dedicated to a world map and hundreds of draft maps were stacked neatly in the corner.

The kitchen was simple and Luffy quickly discovered that neither of the two knew how to cook, so usually the three bought take-out unless Luffy's talent overcome him.

Surprisingly but not surprisingly two of his come-and-go skills had disappeared.

His parents noticed him subtly withdrawing further into the arms of his two new frie- no. Friends was not strong enough of a word. It just didn't fit. It didn't carry the right emotion.

Nakama.

He stumbled across the word in his Japanese class and had smiled in acknowledgement. It fit. It carried the right amount of emotion for his nakama. Nami and Zoro, his nakama.

His parents clearly cared, they started trying to get him to talk to them more but, as if he was a tortoise, he slowly withdrew into his shell, shying away from their money and their offers.

They just sighed in disappointment and went on more journeys than ever, leaving him more often than not, with his grandparents.

But his grandparents understood better than his parents did and didn't object to him staying with his friends 24/7.

They'd simply said. "You're young, they're your first friends. Just remember that if anything goes wrong we'll come pick you up."

And with a basket of homemade goods and promises on his lips, he left.

The three of them were lying on the lounge together watching some kind of horror movie. Luffy didn't really know, all he saw was a lot of blood and heard a lot of screaming.

Luffy's head was in Zoro's lap, the aforementioned man lightly dozing and Nami was curled against his other side stealing popcorn from their homemade ceramic bowl.

"Luffy." Nami had begun and Zoro had paused the movie, sitting up a little straighter. "I know this is kind of sudden but, would you like to move in once you turn 18?"

Luffy had never really belonged anywhere and his heart soared and had slowly nodded, not trusting his voice, as it was, there was a stone of emotion stuck in his throat.

Nami and Zoro smiled in tandem and hugged him a little harder. They understood, Luffy knew it.

They knew why he was so withdrawn sometimes, and why he had to constantly touch them to make sure they were there.

They were both similar to him.

They understood that it hurt worse than dying to be alone. After all, they had been alone for so long in their own lives.

It was another week after that that a deeply tanned boy raced into their house, banging on their door.

Mildly alarmed Zoro had given warning glances to Nami and Luffy and approached the door, tightly clutching a beautiful katana.

He pushed the door open and the boy on the other side sobbed in relief. The first thing Luffy noticed, was his abnormally long nose but it was quickly forgotten as the boy began to speak. "Please, you have to help me, Ma is really sick and I don't, I don't think she's going to make it. Our phones are dead and we don't have a home one, so please call an ambulance."

"What's your name?" Luffy said, even as Nami began to dial 000. He knew that the trick was that he should be ensuring that the boy stays calm.

The boys' brown eyes drifted from Nami back to Luffy and replied. "Usopp. Yours?"

"Luffy." He grinned widely and said. "Can you take us back to your house Usopp?"

"Yes, yes." Usopp hopped down their crooked steps and rushed down their overgrown garden and out to the street.

It was a good thing that Nami, Zoro and Luffy had good cardio-vascular fitness because Usopp was fast.

Nami wordlessly handed the phone to Usopp and Luffy sidled up to his new nakama.

He tripped at that thought and it was only because Usopp grabbed his hand that he didn't go tumbling to the ground. "Thanks."

Usopp nodded and began to speak to the medic on the other side and Luffy pondered over why he had already named Usopp as nakama.

But he subconsciously knew. He knew that Usopp was like the three of them. When he looked at the afro and overalls he wondered if that's what had led Usopp to their house.

"It's just here." Usopp gestured to a small bungalow atop a neatly trimmed garden and hurried down the path, twisting to dodge the easel next to the door.

"Mum, I'm home!" He called out, clearly panicking when he couldn't hear a response.

She was atop a crimson bed, she was beautiful in old age, grey hair contrasting with her blackened face, twisting around her head to form a crown, flowers woven into it. She was wearing a white dress with green stitching embedded on the hem.

And she wasn't breathing.

Usopp gasped terribly and Nami cursed and pushed the now panicking boy at both of them and leapt onto the bed. With a practised ease, she tilted her head back, checking her airways for obstructions.

When none became apparent she immediately turned to compressions and Usopp almost collapsed. Both Zoro and Luffy gently lowered him into a cane chair.

Luffy squatted down next to his nakama and watched detachedly as Nami desperately tried to revive the old woman. He hummed 'Stayin' Alive' under his breath to make sure she was going at the right pace.

Zoro frowned at the pair of them and said. "I'm going out the front to wait for the paramedics. Usopp, come on, up you get."

His muscly arms lifted the boy up effortlessly and lugged him out the front. Luffy promptly stole his vacated seat and watched.

He watched because he knew that Nami shouldn't be alone doing this.

At 1733 the hospital declared Kali deceased. Cause of death: most likely heart attack. However, a further inquest by the coroner would officially decide whether her death was due to a heart attack.

Luffy, Zoro and Nami crowded around Usopps' bed protectively – he had been placed there because of shock.

Finally, Zoro stiffly said that he was going to go get coffee and left the little circle.

Luffy laced an arm around Nami who was shivering in the coldness of the hospital, she had been forced here in nothing but a mini-skirt and t-shirt after all.

Luffy entwined Usopps' hands with his free hand and finally the boy began to cry. Sobs wracking his form and without a second thought Luffy sat next to him and wrapped his arms around him and without hesitation Nami followed suit.

Zoro returned to the sight of the three of them snuggling into the hospital bed, barely fitting but somehow making it work. He privately smiled, setting the three hot chocolates down and snapping a quick photo.

"Hi, my name is Patricia Annets, I am here on behalf of child protection services." The woman was tall, probably due to the height of her heels. Her blonde hair swept into a neat pony-tail. She nervously smoothed down her black pencil skirt with her manila folder.

He sighed, mussing his green hair and when she approached regarding custody of Usopp Zoro replied gruffly. "He's with me."

The older woman frowned and clicked her tongue subtly. "I'm sorry, but Usopp has no relatives, it will take months for you to receive custody of him."

Zoro grumbled under his breath and took a long deep swig of the coffee, relishing the burn on his throat. "So you're telling me that he's going to be in the system until he's 18?"

The woman nodded, cherry lips glinting under the hospital lights. "I'm afraid so, he is free to do whatever he may wish afterwards but he will have to go through the foster system."

"Why don't you consult with him first?" Zoro murmured, dragging a seat out for the woman who after sighing, dropped into the seat.

She sighed. "I will, but to be clear, you will have to be deemed as a suitable carer."

Zoro furrowed his brow considering the work he'd have to do around the house and how Luffy and Nami could help.

"So I can adopt him, just after a certain amount of time?"

"Yes. I can keep your name and details if you wish Mr...?" Patricia asked, pulling out a pen and notepad from her breast-pocket.

So, Zoro filled her in and she was on her merry way with a promise to be back in another hour when Usopp was to wake.

As it was, apparently Luffy's grandparents were already a foster-carer and after their grandson was found in hospital they both rushed to his side.

"And that's that." Lilian, Luffy's grandmother declared, retrieving the CPS woman.

Gregory smirked behind his thick white beard victoriously.

Zoro and Nami decided that they liked the two. Especially seeing that they were so clear of judgement when they had spotted the two that had stolen their grandson away.

"Hi Usopp." Lilian waved a dainty hand. "I know that this is very sudden after your mother's passing, but would you care to live with us? You do not have to make a decision as of yet." And with a final pet and another promise to begin visiting more often the two were on their way, taking with them the CPS woman.

Luffy curled into Usopps' side. "Hmm, if you move in with my grandparents then… you could live with us Usopp."

Usopp sharply inhaled and Luffy knew.

He knew that Usopp was as lonely as he had been before he had met (or remet) Zoro and consequently Nami.

Usopps' voice was thick with emotion as he attempted to speak. "I-I-I would really like that." The words stumbled out of his mouth and that was all he needed to say really.

And after a tenuous couple of months, Usopp slowly migrated into their house. He claimed the same room as Luffy – the one with a balcony overlooking the ocean – and cleaned out one of the storage rooms and converted it into a workshop/art studio.

They quickly run into a smooth rhythm of attending school together (they already had but Luffy had never spotted the boy).

Luffy slowly became more open at school. Engaging in activities with more effort and vigour than ever before.

It was a month later that they met Sanji and his brother Chopper.

Well, they didn't actually know them as Sanji yet, or even Chopper.

It was a bitterly warm day and they had decided that since it was a weekend, they all deserved a day at the beach.

"Zoro, do you know where our picnic basket is?"

"Not really, check the bathroom."

"Why on earth would it be in the bathroom?"

"I don't know but I figure it's the only place you haven't checked, Nami."

"Shishishi, let's go guys!" Luffy declared, racing out to the white van that Usopp had brought with him when he crashed into their lives.

Zoro went for the driver side only for Usopp to frown and say. "No, we'll get lost if we let you drive."

Zoro flushed but regardless shuffled up to Luffy's side.

Nami sauntered down the winding path, wearing only a bikini top and shorts, forgoing any shoes.

Underneath her arm, an umbrella was tucked and in the other, their keys were clutched.

"Usopp! Did you grab my bag?" Nami asked, ducking into the passenger seat, pushing pencils and pens off the seat.

"Mhm." He pointed at the orange bag in the back with Luffy and Zoro.

Usopp started up the van, letting it purr to life.

The beach was only a few minutes ago but it would have been a pain to carry everything in the sweltering sun.

Luffy pressed his face to the window, watching in excitement at the changing scenery. Taking pity, Nami unwound the window and Luffy whooped sticking his head out and catching the wind on his face.

They all hopped out of the van, carrying the esky of drinks, rainbow umbrella, the banana lounge and four bags to the hot sand.

"Hot! Hot! Hot!" Usopp and Luffy cried, hopping from one foot to the other.

Zoro sighed and walked calmly through to a suitable spot near the red and yellow flags. He stabbed the umbrella into the sand and unfolded its' wings, providing suitable shade for them to drop their things and race to the water.

"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Luffy grinned, still grinning, even when he was overtaken by Zoro who dived into the surf without preamble.

Nami joined the green haired man and then Usopp did. "Come on Luffy." Zoro said, a grin in his voice.

"Looks like you're last."

Luffy smiled, that was okay. He decided, he was with his nakama.

But just as he was about to jump into the surf his foot landed on something that popped and suddenly all three of his nakama were jumping out of the surf, horrified expressions adorning their faces.

"Luffy!" Was the last thing he heard before his mind short-circuited.

He was floating in a timeless void.

Images blurred around him, as if it was being played through an awful television.

"Luffy!"

Huh, that was his name, wasn't it?

He wasn't sure. He used to be Matthew, but even now, that name felt wrong in his mouth.

Did he have a mouth?

Nothing was sure anymore.

But that voice!

"Come on kid, open your eyes."

Huh that wasn't any of his nakama but he liked that voice, it was deep, gruff like Zoro's but it had the qualities of someone who chain smoked.

"Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes? What's your name?" So many questions, in such a high-pitched voice too.

But nonetheless, he felt himself pulled from the brink of wherever he was and suddenly the blue sky was above him, framing his vision a small prepubescent kid and a curly browed man. And then his nakama.

And he knew that this was real.

"God, Luffy, are you alright?" Zoro asked, voice shaking and skin pale.

"Yup!" He said, well, he tried to say but it came out as a gurgle and suddenly he was rolled onto his side and he felt how hothothot the ground was.

"It's okay, your name is Monkey D. Luffy, you were at the Newcomen's beach when you stepped on a blue-bottle. My name is Tony Tony Chopper and I-"

"He gets it!" Nami all but snapped, they were all on edge, Luffy realised, all because of him. And he felt guilt stab him.

"No need to yell at Chopper milady, he's just doin' his job." The other stranger said, raising a perfectly sculpted curly eyebrow.

"Ne, what's a blue-bottle?" Luffy asked curiously.

"It's a little jellyfish lookin' thing with tentacles usually underneath the sand. It's about yay big." Curly brow put his hands about an inch and a half apart. "You stand on one and it wraps its' tentacles around your ankle stinging you, usually they're non-fatal. Just looks like you're unlucky."

He was met with silence and curly brow blushed. "What? I listen to Chopper!"

"Your eyebrow is cool." Luffy said, reaching out to touch it before he could stop himself.

The man flinched back, probably because of the sudden movement and Luffy let his arm fall down uselessly.

The silence grew heavy before the blonde-haired man sighed. "Only the ladies get to touch these brows, got it little guy?"

Luffy frowned. "I'm not a little guy, I'm 17 and a half."

Curly brow waved a hand dismissively. "Still little to me."

Luffy frowned deeper and sat up, for some reason that offended him and he had no idea why. "I'm old enough to know that I almost died."

Curly brow looked a little taken aback before a grin overtook his features. "That's good kid, my name's Sanji."

"I'm Luffy."

"Yeah I figured that one out."

The bantering felt wrong, like it shouldn't be him that Sanji was bantering with.

So he stopped, he didn't want to ruin whatever was happening so he went with his gut feeling.

Usopp flopped down next to Luffy and shook a little. "I'm glad you're okay Luffy, the ambulance will be here in ten minutes."

Luffy frowned, he didn't want an ambulance, they would definitely call his parents and he didn't want that. They would try and take him away from his friends.

Chopper, as if sensing his rising panic frowned deeply – the look odd on such a young face. "If you don't want to be admitted to hospital I can take you back to our house, we work double as a clinic as well."

Zoro and Luffy exchanged a quick glance – it was all it took for Luffy to firmly nod. "Please."

Sanji huffed and rose, offering a hand to Nami that she refused, dusting the sand from her knees.

Luffy sat up, accepting the offered water from Sanji.

"Thanks."

When the ambulance did arrive, it took a little convincing for the paramedics to leave a post blue-bottle patient. But when they learnt of Choppers' credentials they acquiesced, leaving the beach.

"Let's go Luffy." Sanji said, throwing a piece of gum into his mouth.

"Hold up swirly brow, I'll be taking Luffy to your clinic because frankly, I don't trust you." Zoro said clearly, tugging Luffy to his chest.

"What was that moss-head? Did you speak? Sorry, I don't understand idiot, Luffy is coming with us, Chopper is his doctor and as his doctor he'll need to care for him." Sanji glared and stepped forwards, presumably to collect Luffy however he was halted by Chopper.

"It's okay, I'll go with Zoro, Nami and Usopp, can you travel with Sanji?" Chopper asked, eyes imploring them to do so.

Zoro sighed and nodded, jerking a finger to the van, ordering Usopp and Nami to double back and reclaim their supplies.

Sanji sighed heavily and nodded as well, nodding to the gold Porsche at the top of the beach in front of the kiosk.

It was a lucky thing that they went to the clinic otherwise Luffy knows that he never would have both Chopper and Sanji as his nakama.

They just were his nakama.

He already knew it.

And he was proven right for after his treatment the two stayed with the quadlet. In the beginning, it was just for video game nights and time for Sanji to cook his heart out.

But later the two began to crash there more often than not. Sanji and Choppers' parents both wanted the two to go to university right now despite the fact that Sanji had already done the appropriate amount of TAFE for becoming a chef and Chopper had already been gifted the highest award for medicine.

According to the two, their parents expected far too much and as such, the two moved out. Chopper had cried when he had parted with the extended doctor surgery but he had done so voluntarily.

Apparently, they both felt at home with the others as well so Luffy extended the word, nakama to the two of them as well.

There was a break in his recruiting of nakama for a while and his 18th birthday passed – not that he said anything but the others figured it out anyway.

They had held a massive party for Usopp prior to his so of course they were going to.

In the back-yard candles burned on the top of crates with cloth over the top of them. Fairy lights and lanterns crisscrossed the skies from Nami's mikan tree back to the house and Sanji had an outdoor barbecue sizzling away.

Luffy felt happy that they did this for him but he couldn't help and feel that there were too many people missing.

So, at midnight he grabbed Zoro's hand and waltzed out of the house, ignoring the rest of the passed out drunk nakama (sans Chopper, he was just sleeping). "Come on Zoro we're going exploring, just you and I."

He marched onwards and Zoro frowned but said nothing, Luffy knew that Zoro understood.

He had to.

The 7/11 in town was still open so they slipped in, Luffy immediately headed for the slushy machine despite the fact that the days were getting colder. Zoro walked up beside him and started filling his own cup.

Luffy hummed as he filled the cup, he could feel that something big was going to happen, he just wasn't sure what.

Slushy successfully filled over the top he turned around, and promptly crashed into another man.

"Oi." The man he had crashed into was frantically trying to rub the coke coloured stains from his white shirt before they could take root but they were already too deep.

Luffy leapt up. "Shishi, sorry, I didn't see you there mister, what's your name?"

The other man frowned. "Is that how you usually greet strangers?"

Zoro snorted derisively. "Pretty much mate."

Luffy opened his eyes a little more, employing the deer eyes tactics (Chopper named them, not him).

The other man sighed a little and bowed a little. "Pleasure to meetcha, I'm Portgas D. Ace."

"Ace… huh." Luffy smiled widely. "My name's Monkey D. Luffy. I'm uh, sorry about your shirt Ace."

Ace looked down at his shirt and sighed. "That's okay, I think I ran into your slushy instead."

Zoro laughed again, man he wished he had popcorn.

Luffy didn't know what to say, he knew this person. He. Knew. This. Person. But he didn't! He would remember if he met such a guy.

There was something about him that made him want to cry and wrap himself around him several times.

Whoa, that's extreme. "Do you wanna drink some sake?" Luffy blurted out.

Zoro looked surprised at that. That was weird, Luffy had never drunk sake. Even during the party he had stuck to the weak stuff.

Ace seemed to think it over for a moment before he shrugged. "Why the hell not?"

They all payed for their slushy's and Ace his fuel before making their way back to their house.

Luffy stealthily snuck in, grabbing those sakazuki cups from before and setting them down on a crate. He cracked open the bottle for the second time in his life and poured three cups.

Zoro didn't go for one, he knew it wasn't for him.

Ace sat cross-legged on the ground and smiled widely at his new friend, they both lifted their cups. "Hey, did you know that if you exchange sake, you become brothers?" Luffy knew that Ace was waiting for a reaction and he couldn't help but tear up a little.

"We're missing someone." Luffy stated, sniffling a little.

Ace nodded numbly. Luffy knew in that moment that Ace was his brother.

He wasn't sure how but he had long since stopped questioning how he knew things like that.

"We'll find him Ace, I promise we'll find him." Luffy felt compelled to say.

Again, Ace nodded before tipping his head back and gulping down the sake and Luffy copied his movement.

Things seemed timeless in that moment, two brothers (re)united.

Ace didn't move in with them but that was okay, Luffy hadn't expected him to.

They would meet up at least once a month, it was decided between the two and phone numbers were exchanged.

Luffy ran a hand over the wall in the loungeroom, it was covered in photos, photos from the beach, the mall, photos of everything.

Zoro was out at a kendo tournament, Luffy would've attended if Nami hadn't insisted that he go to school, Zoro had promised that he would be back in two days at most though Sanji had laughed and said they'd never get him back for the fool would be lost.

Sanji was home, he was cooking pancakes for Luffy right now.

Chopper was working, so was Usopp and Nami.

Luffy sighed, eyeing the cheesy thriller playing on the TV. It was stupid and he wished that Zoro was here, Zoro would know a good thriller.

Not this cheesy b-grade piece of crap.

"Oi, Luffy, pancakes are ready." Sanji said, leaning against the wall and chewing on gum – he wasn't allowed to smoke indoors.

Luffy scrambled for the kitchens, hearing his phone and anything that had been on his chest fall to the floor but he didn't care.

Food was waiting after all.

He heard Sanji sigh and pick the discarded items up and Luffy bounded back into the lounge-room.

"Ne, Sanji, wanna go exploring?" Luffy asked, having already gobbled down the pancakes.

Sanji shrugged. "Sure."

Luffy smiled and jammed his phone and keys into his pockets. Sanji ensured that he had a packet of cigarettes and his lighter before closing the door behind them gently, "Now, where are we off to today?" Sanji asked, lighting up and letting the smoke fall from his lips.

Okay, so hopefully *fingers crossed* the second chapter will be up tomorrow at some stage. i literally wrote this in like 5 hours because i was really itching to.

Sorry about any mistakes, i kinda ended up being rushed because i want to sleep? I hope y'all enjoyed